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Commercialized  Prostitution  in 
New  York  City 


publicationd  ot  tbe  JSureau  of  Social  fjsalene 

iCommercialized  Prostitution 
in  New  York  City  ^ 

GEORGE  J.  KNEELAND 

With  a  supplementary  chapter  b7 
KATHARINE  BEMENT  DAVIS 

Superintendent  of  the  New  York  State  Reformatory  for  Women 

INTRODUCTION   BY 

JOHN  D.   ROCKEFELLER,  Jr. 

Chairman  of  the  Bureau  of  Social  Hygiene 


NEW  YORK 

THE  CENTURY  CO. 

1913 


Copyright,  1913,  by 
The  Cektury  Co. 


Publithtd,  May,  1913 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

Introduction vii 

I.    Vice  Resorts  in  New  York  City:  (a)  Parlor 

Houses 3 

II.  Vice  Resorts:  (b)  Tenement  Houses, 
Hotels,  Furnished  Rooms,  Massage  Par- 
lors       24 

III.  Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 52 

IV.  The  Exploiters 'j'j 

V.     Prostitute  and  Customer 100 

VI.    The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost     .   112 

VII.     Prostitution,  the  Police,  and  the  Law     .   137 

VIII.    A    Study   of    Prostitutes    Committed    from 
New  York  City  to  the  State  Reformatory 
FOR  Women  at  Bedford  Hills     .      .     .     .163 
Statistical  Tables  Accompanying  Chapter 
VIII 197 

IX.     Preventive,  Reformative  and  Correctional 

Agencies  in  New  York  City     ....  253 

Appendices 275 

Index 333 


INTRODUCTION 

In  presenting  to  the  public  this  volume,  the  first  of  four 
studies  dealing  with  various  aspects  of  the  problem  of 
prostitution,  it  seems  fitting  to  make  a  statement  with 
reference  to  the  origin,  work  and  plans  of  the  Bureau 
of  Social  Hygiene. 

The  Bureau  came  into  existence  about  two  years  ago, 
as  a  result  of  the  work  of  the  Special  Grand  Jury  which 
investigated  the  white  slave  traffic  in  New  York  City 
during  the  first  half  of  the  year  19 lo.  One  of  the 
recommendations  made  by  the  jury  in  the  presentment 
handed  up  at  the  termination  of  its  labors  was  that  a 
public  commission  be  appointed  to  study  the  social  evil. 
The  foreman  of  the  jury  subsequently  gave  careful  con- 
sideration to  the  character  of  the  work  which  might 
properly  be  done  by  such  a  commission  and  the  limitations 
under  which  it  would  operate.  In  this  connection,  sep- 
arate personal  conferences  were  held  with  over  a  hundred 
leading  men  and  women  in  the  city,  among  whom  were 
lawyers,  physicians,  business  men,  bank  presidents,  presi- 
dents of  commercial  organizations,  clergymen,  settlement 
workers,  social  workers,  labor  leaders  and  reformers. 
These  conferences  led  to  the  conclusion  that  a  public  com- 
mission would  labor  under  a  number  of  disadvantages, 
such  as  the  fact  that  it  would  be  short-lived ;  that  its  work 
would  be  done  publicly;  that  at  best  it  could  hardly  do 

vii 


Introduction 

more  than  present  recommendations.  It  was  also  be- 
lieved that  the  main  reason  why  more  results  of  a  per- 
manent character  had  not  been  obtained  by  the  various 
organizations  which  had  dealt  with  the  subject  of  the 
social  evil  during  the  past  ten  or  fifteen  years  was  that 
most  of  these  organizations  were  temporary.  While  ac- 
tive, they  materially  improved  the  situation,  but  as  their 
efforts  relaxed,  there  came  the  inevitable  return  to  much 
the  same  conditions  as  before.  The  forces  of  evil  are 
never  greatly  alarmed  at  the  organization  of  investigating 
or  reform  bodies,  for  they  know  that  these  are  generally 
composed  of  busy  people,  who  cannot  turn  aside  from  their 
own  affairs  for  any  great  length  of  time  to  carry  on  re- 
forms, and  that  sooner  or  later  their  efforts  will  cease  and 
the  patient  denizens  of  the  underworld  and  their  exploit- 
ers can  then  reappear  and  continue  as  before. 

So  the  conviction  grew  that  in  order  to  make  a  real 
and  lasting  improvement  in  conditions,  a  permanent  or- 
ganization should  be  created,  the  existence  of  which 
would  not  be  dependent  upon  a  temporary  wave  of  re- 
form nor  upon  the  life  of  any  man  or  group  of  men,  but 
which  would  go  on,  generation  after  generation,  contin- 
uously making  warfare  against  the  forces  of  evil.  It 
also  appeared  that  a  private  organization  would  have, 
among  other  advantages,  a  certain  freedom  from  publicity 
and  from  political  bias,  which  a  publicly  appointed  com- 
mission could  not  easily  avoid. 

Therefore,  as  the  initial  step,  the  Bureau  of  Social 
Hygiene  was  formed  in  the  winter  of  191 1.  Its  present 
members  are  Miss  Katharine  Bement  Davis.  Superin- 
tendent of  the  New  York  State  Reformatory  for  Women 

viii 


Introduction 

at  Bedford  Hills,  New  York;  Paul  M.  Warburg,  of  the 
firm  of  Kuhn,  Loeb  &  Company;  Starr  J.  Murphy,  of 
the  New  York  Bar;  and  John  D.  Rockefeller,  Jr.  As 
the  work  develops,  new  members  may  be  added. 

One  of  the  first  things  undertaken  by  the  Bureau  was 
the  establishment  at  Bedford  Hills,  adjacent  to  the  Re- 
formatory, of  a  Laboratory  of  Social  Hygiene,  under 
Miss  Davis's  direction.  In  this  laboratory,  it  is  proposed 
to  study  from  the  physical,  mental,  social  and  moral 
sides  each  person  committed  to  the  Reformatory.  This 
study  will  be  carried  on  by  experts  and  every  case  will 
be  kept  under  observation  for  from  three  weeks  to  three 
months,  as  may  be  required.  When  the  diagnosis  is 
completed,  it  is  hoped  that  the  laboratory  will  be  in 
position  to  suggest  the  treatment  most  likely  to  reform 
the  individual,  or,  if  reformation  is  impossible,  to  recom- 
mend permanent  custodial  care.  Furthermore,  reaching 
out  beyond  the  individuals  involved,  it  is  believed  that 
important  contributions  may  be  made  to  our  knowledge 
of  the  conditions  ultimately  responsible  for  vice,  and  that 
the  methods  worked  out  may  prove  applicable  to  all 
classes  of  criminals,  thus  leading  to  lines  of  action  not 
only  more  scientific  and  humane  but  also  less  wasteful 
than  those  at  present  followed. 

In  entering  upon  its  labors,  the  Bureau  regarded  it  of 
fundamental  importance  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the 
social  evil  in  this  country  and  in  Europe.  This  problem, 
like  any  other  great  and  difficult  one,  can  be  approached 
only  through  an  understanding  of  the  various  factors  in- 
volved —  physical,  moral,  social  and  economic  —  and 
of  the  experience  of  other  cities  and  countries  in  dealing 


Introduction 

with  it.  Arrangements  were  therefore  made  in  January, 
19 1 2,  to  secure  the  services  of  Mr.  George  J.  Kneeland, 
who  had  directed  the  Chicago  Vice  Commission  investiga- 
tion. Since  that  time  Mr.  Kneeland,  with  a  corps  of  as- 
sistants, has  been  making  a  thorough  and  comprehensive 
survey  of  the  conditions  of  vice  in  New  York  City,  the 
findings  of  which  are  here  presented. 

The  purpose  of  this  volume  is  to  set  forth  as  accurately 
and  fully  as  possible  the  conditions  of  vice  as  they  existed 
in  New  York  City  during  the  year  19 12.  It  should  be 
clearly  understood  that  the  data  upon  which  it  is 
based  are  not  presented  as  legal  evidence,  but  as  reliable 
information  secured  by  careful  and  experienced  investi- 
gators, whose  work  was  systematically  corroborated. 

In  presenting  the  facts  contained  in  this  report,  the  Bu- 
reau has  no  thought  of  criticizing  any  department  or  of- 
ficial of  the  city  administration.  The  task  which  the  Bu- 
reau set  itself  was  that  of  preparing  a  dispassionate,  ob- 
jective account  of  things  as  they  were  during  the  period 
above  mentioned,  the  forms  which  commercialized  vice 
had  assumed,  the  methods  by  which  it  was  carried  on,  the 
whole  network  of  relations  which  had  been  elaborated 
below  the  surface  of  society.  The  studies  involved  were 
made  in  a  spirit  of  scientific  inquiry,  and  it  is  the  hope  of 
the  Bureau  that  all  departments  or  officials  whose  work 
this  book  in  any  way  touches  may  find  the  information 
therein  contained  helpful  to  them  in  the  further  direction 
and  organization  of  their  work. 

The  Bureau  also  secured  the  services  of  Mr.  Abraham 
Flexner,  whose  reports  on  the  medical  schools  in  this 
country  and  in  Europe  are  well  known,  to  study  the 

X. 


Introduction 

social  evil  and  the  various  methods  of  dealing  with  it 
in  the  leading  cities  of  Europe.  Mr,  Flexner  spent 
the  greater  part  of  a  year  abroad,  making  a  search- 
ing and  exhaustive  inquiry  into  the  subject,  and  is  now 
working  on  his  report,  entitled  "  Prostitution  in  Europe," 
which  will  be  the  second  volume  of  the  series,  to  be  pub- 
lished in  the  fall. 

The  third  volume  will  deal  with  European  police  sys- 
tems. Mr.  Raymond  B.  Fosdick,  a  member  of  the  stajfif  of 
the  Bureau  and  former  Commissioner  of  Accounts  of  New 
York  City,  went  to  Europe  in  January  for  the  purpose  of 
making  this  study  and  is  enjoying  unusual  facilities  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  inquiry.  The  police  are  necessarily  so 
important  an  instrument  in  dealing  with  prostitution  that 
the  success  of  whatever  plan  is  adopted  will  depend  largely 
on  their  organization  and  efficiency.  No  adequate  de- 
scriptive and  critical  account  of  the  British  and  Con- 
tinental police  systems  exists.  Much  has  been  published 
from  time  to  time,  but  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been 
any  exhaustive  study  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the 
points  of  excellence,  as  well  as  the  defects,  of  the  Eu- 
ropean police  and  the  lessons  deducible  from  their  expe- 
rience. The  police  problems  of  the  great  European  cities 
closely  resemble  our  own ;  their  police  organizations  have 
successfully  worked  through  a  period  of  storm  and  stress 
such  as  we  are  now  passing  through.  Whatever  differ- 
ences may  ultimately  have  to  be  taken  into  account,  the  ex- 
perience of  London,  Berlin,  and  of  other  cities  will,  when 
fully  reported,  be  rich  in  suggestions  that  will  abbreviate 
our  own  period  of  experimentation. 

The  fourth  volume  will  be  based  upon  studies  made 

xi 


Introduction 

in  those  cities  in  the  United  States  where  different  con- 
ditions exist  or  where  special  methods  of  dealing  with 
the  social  evil  have  been  introduced. 

In  conclusion,  it  should  be  stated  that  the  spirit  which 
dominates  the  work  of  the  Bureau  is  not  sensational  or 
hysterical ;  that  it  is  not  a  spirit  critical  of  public  officials ; 
but  that  it  is  essentially  a  spirit  of  constructive  suggestion 
and  of  deep  scientific  as  well  as  humane  interest  in  a  great 
world  problem, 

John  D.  Rockefeller,  Jr. 

Chairman. 
New  York,  May  i,  1913 
Bureau  of  Social  Hygiene 
P.  O.  Box  579,  New  York  City 


xn 


COMMERCIALIZED  PROSTITUTION  IN 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


COMMERCIALIZED    PROSTITU- 
TION IN  NEW  YORK  CITY 

CHAPTER  I 
VICE  resorts:^  (a)  parlor  houses 

The  actual  business  of  prostitution  in  New  York  City 
is  conducted  in  buildings  which  are  designated  in  this 
report  as  vice  resorts.  These  resorts  are  of  several 
kinds.  Most  prominent  are  the  so-called  parlor  house 
or  brothel,  the  tenement  house  apartment,  the  furnished 
room  house,  the  disorderly  hotel,  and  the  massage  parlor. 
The  present  chapter  deals  only  with  the  first  named. 

A  parlor  house  or  brothel  is  a  building  used  exclu- 
sively for  the  business  of  prostitution.  It  derives  its 
name  from  the  fact  that  its  inmates  gather  in  the  parlor 
to  receive  their  guests.  There  is,  however,  an  exception 
to  the  definition,  inasmuch  as  some  parlor  houses  in  New 
York  City  are  situated  on  the  upper  floors  of  buildings, 
the  ground  floors  of  which  are  used  for  legitimate  busi- 
ness enterprises. 

During  the  period  of  this  investigation,  extending  from 

1  Attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  the  vice  resorts  described  in 
the  following  pages  are  all  situated  in  Manhattan,  this  being  the 
only  section  of  Greater  New  York  considered  in  the  present  inves- 
tigation. 

3 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

January  24,  19 12,  to  November  15,  19 12,^  142  parlor 
houses  were  visited  in  Manhattan.  Though  this  number 
does  not  include  all  the  places  of  this  charactef  in  Man- 
hattan, it  may  be  said  to  approximate  the  total.  It  is  im- 
probable that  many  were  overlooked.  Every  one  of  the 
establishments  investigated  was  visited  two  or  more  times 
on  different  dates  by  different  individuals  who  have  made 
affidavits  as  to  their  findings;  and  the  findings  of  different 
investigators  working  in  ignorance  of  one  another  have 
been  carefully  compared.  The  date  and  hour  of  the  ob- 
servation are  given  in  connection  with  each  report. 

Of  the  142  parlor  houses  thus  investigated,  20  are 
known  to  the  trade  as  fifty-cent  houses;  80  as  one-dollar 
houses;  6  as  two-dollar  houses;  and  34  as  five-  and  ten- 
dollar  houses.  The  prices  charged  in  the  remaining  two 
houses  are  unknown. 

The  majority  of  these  houses  are  situated  in  the  busi- 
ness section  of  Manhattan,  namely,  on  Sixth  and  Seventh 
Avenues  from  West  23rd  to  West  42nd  Streets,  and 
in  residential  sections  on  side  streets  from  West  15th 
to  West  54th  Streets  between  Fifth  and  Eighth  Avenues. 
A  few  of  them  are  located  on  the  E^st  Side  on  residential 
streets  east  of  Third  Avenue,  and  on  Second  Avenue.  A 
still  smaller  number  were  discovered  on  the  extreme  East 
Side  near  the  river  and  below  East  14th  Street.  Not  a 
few  of  these  houses  are  found  in  the  vicinity  of  public 

2  All  statements  made  on  the  basis  of  our  investigation  are  to 
be  understood  as  of  this  period.  There  is  no  implication  as  to 
conditions  before  or  after  those  dates.  Where  a  statement  under 
any  other  date  is  intended,  that  fact  is  noted.  This  caution  ap- 
plies to  the  entire  book  and  will  not  be  repeated. 


Vice  Resorts 

schools,  churches,  and  hotels ;  others  occupy  the  upper ' 
floors  over  lunch  rooms,  jewelry  shops,  clothing  stores, 
fur  shops,  and  other  business  enterprises. 

Private  houses  used  exclusively  for  prostitution  are 
usually  three  or  four  stories  high;  those  of  the  cheaper 
type  are  in  a  dilapidated  and  unsanitary  condition.  For 
instance,  the  fifty-cent  houses  on  the  lower  East  Side 
are  described  as  being  practically  unfit  for  human  habita- 
tion. The  rooms  are  dirty,  the  loose  and  creaking  floors 
are  covered  with  matting  which  is  gradually  rotting 
away,  the  ceilings  are  low,  the  windows  small,  the 
air  heavy  and  filled  with  foul  odors.  The  sanitary  con- 
ditions in  the  majority  of  the  one-dollar  houses  on 
the  West  Side  streets  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  Ave- 
nues are  hardly  less  objectionable.  No  attempt  is  made 
to  keep  the  houses  clean.  The  floors  are  rotten  and 
filthy;  they  sag  as  one  walks  across  them.  The  small 
bedrooms  are  damp  and  unventilated ;  the  atmosphere  is 
heavy  with  odors  of  tobacco  and  perfumes,  mingled  with 
the  fumes  of  medicine  and  cheap  disinfectants. 

Every  step  in  the  process  of  arranging  for  and  con- 
ducting an  establishment  of  this  character  is  taken  in 
the  most  businesslike  fashion.  Every  detail  is  arranged 
in  a  cold,  calculating  spirit.  It  is  first  necessary  to  se- 
cure the  consent  of  the  owner  or  agent  to  use  the  prop- 
erty for  the  desired  purpose.  Negotiations  may  be  con- 
ducted by  the  prospective  keeper  himself  or  through  a 
go-between  who  is  paid  a  bonus  for  securing  a  suitable 
building.  In  the  majority  of  cases  regular  leases  are 
drawn  up  and  signed  for  stated  periods.  Usually  two 
or  more   individuals   enter   into   a   regular  partnership 

5 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

agreement  to  conduct  parlor  houses.  In  the  course 
of  this  investigation  interesting  data  were  obtained  re- 
specting the  purchase,  sale,  and  value  of  these  shares,^ 
which  constantly  fluctuate  in  value.  Important  factors 
in  determining  their  value  at  a  particular  time  are  public 
opinion  and  the  attitude  of  the  city  authorities  toward 
vice.  If  the  law  is  rigidly  enforced  and  frequent  arrests 
are  made,  the  shares  depreciate  and  there  is  a  scramble 
among  the  partners  to  dispose  of  their  holdings.  If  the 
business  is  fairly  undisturbed,  the  shares  increase  in  value 
and  can  hardly  be  purchased. 

The  house  once  secured  and  the  owners  being  ready  to 
begin  business,  a  madame  or  housekeeper  is  hired  by 
the  month  or  on  a  percentage  basis  to  take  personal  charge 
of  the  enterprise.  She  is  usually  a  former  prostitute 
who  has  outlived  her  usefulness  in  that  capacity.  To 
her  the  owners  look  for  results.  Every  day  she  reports 
to  them  when  they  call  to  "  make  up  "  the  books  after 
business  is  over  —  generally  during  the  early  morning 
hours.'* 

Servants  are  employed  to  aid  the  madame:  one  or 
more  cooks,  according  to  the  number  of  inmates  boarding 
in  the  house;  and  maids,  usually  colored  girls,  who  look 
after  the  rooms,  tend  the  door,  and  aid  in  the  sale 
of  liquor  to  the  customers  during  business  hours.  A 
porter  is  employed  to  care  for  the  house  and  run  er- 
rands, a  "  lighthouse,"  to  stand  on  the  street  for  the 
purpose  of  procuring  "  trade  "  and  to  give  warning. 

The  prosperity  of  the  business  depends  in  the  main 
upon  the  quality  of  the  inmates.     If  they  are  young 

»  See  Chapter  II.  *  See  Chapter  IV. 

6 


Vice  Resorts 

and  attractive,  and,  as  one  madame  was  heard  to  say 
in  another  city,  "  especially  womanly,"  success  is  as- 
sured. Thus  the  value  of  the  manager  depends  in  the 
first  place  on  her  ability  to  secure  and  hold  the  "  right 
sort "  of  inmate.  The  girls  must  be  contented ;  they 
must  be  stimulated  to  please;  quarrels  must  be  avoided, 
jealousies  nipped  in  the  bud.  In  the  art  of  manage- 
ment, the  madame  must  exercise  all  her  ingenuity.  If 
a  girl  is  a  good  "  money  maker "  the  madame  at- 
taches her  to  herself  in  every  possible  way.  Some 
of  these  unfortunate  inmates  become  "  house  girls," 
remaining  year  after  year,  the  unsuspecting  victims 
of  the  madame's  blandishments  and  exploitation. 

Certain  of  the  women  are  well  known  as  "  stars." 
Their  reputation  follows  them  wherever  they  go  and 
madames  vie  with  each  other  in  securing  them  for  their 
particular  houses,  in  much  the  same  way  as  a  business 
firm  is  constantly  looking  for  clever  salesmen  who  have 
a  reputation  and  a  record  for  increasing  business.  The 
author  has  in  mind  a  particular  woman '^  whose  cus- 
tomers follow  her  wherever  she  goes.  There  are  in  this 
business  many  such  "  stars  "  or  "  big  money  makers," 
looked  upon  with  envy  by  their  less  attractive  and  less 
prominent  rivals.     The  secret  of  their  popularity  lies 

^X  2.  The  foregoing  sign  is  the  key  by  which  the  woman  re- 
ferred to  can  be  identified  in  our  records.  At  this  point,  I  shall 
explain  once  for  all  a  system  which  will  be  continued  throughout 
this  book.  The  persons,  places,  and  exhibits  mentioned  or  referred 
to  in  the  text  are  invariably  definite  and  concrete.  A  complete  reg- 
ister of  them  has  been  made,  each  item  being  lettered  and  numbered. 
The  sign  X  2  in  the  present  instance  enables  the  writer  promptly  to 
put  his  finger  on  the  name,  address,  etc.,  of  the  person  designated. 
This  is  equally  true  of  all  future  references  similarly  indicated- 

7 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

frequently  in  the  perverse  practices  to  which  they  re- 
sort. 

The  manner  of  carrying  on  the  business  has  been 
somewhat  modified  in  recent  years.  Formerly,  the  ma- 
dame  gave  the  girl  a  brass  check  for  each  customer. 
After  business  hours  she  cashed  in  her  checks,  receiv- 
ing her  share  of  the  proceeds,  usually  fifty  cents  on  the 
dollar.  Nowadays,  madames  or  housekeepers  have  a 
punch  similar  to  those  used  by  railroad  conductors. 
When  a  customer  is  secured,  the  inmate  hands  the 
madame  a  square  piece  of  cardboard,  in  which  she 
punches  a  hole.  Among  the  exhibits  obtained  during  this 
investigation  is  a  series  of  sixteen  such  cards  with  the 
names  of  sixteen  inmates  written  upon  them.  They 
are  literally  filled  with  holes,  all  representing  the  busi- 
ness done  on  July  9,  19 12,  in  a  notorious  one-dollar  house 
on  West  28th  Street.  The  largest  number  of  holes 
punched  on  a  single  card  that  day  was  thirty.^ 

The  madames  are  alive  to  the  importance  of  assuring 
their  customers  that  every  precaution  is  taken  to  guard 
the  health  of  their  inmates.  Hence,  in  practically  all 
the  houses  here  referred  to  the  investigators  were  as- 
sured that  the  girls  have  in  their  possession  medical  cer- 
tificates signed  by  physicians,  certifying  that  the  bearer 
has  been  examined  and  is  free  from  venereal  disease.'^ 

In  many  houses  the  "  doctor  "  is  said  to  come  every 
week ;  he  makes  a  hasty  and  superficial  examination,  for 
which  he  is  paid  one  dollar,  one-half  of  which  sum  he  turns 

'  For  additional  samples,  see  Chapter  VI. 

'  Among  our  exhibits  are  several  business  cards  belongins^  to  the 
physicians  here  alluded  to. 

8 


Vice  Resorts 

over  to  the  owner  of  the  establishment.  Of  these  phy- 
sicians, one,  a  member  of  the  now  notorious  Independent 
Benevolent  Association  —  a  group  of  men  individually  in- 
terested either  directly  or  indirectly  in  the  business  of 
prostitution  in  New  York  City  —  has  a  large  practice 
among  the  inmates  of  the  cheaper  type  of  house.  At 
times,  physicians  who  make  a  specialty  of  this  branch  are 
also  active  in  the  local  politics  of  their  respective  districts : 
these  men  are  in  demand,  for  the  keepers  hope  thus  to 
"  stand  in  "  with  those  "  higher  up."  On  April  27,  19 12, 
for  example,  the  proprietor  ®  of  a  house  in  West  36th 
Street  ^  related  the  fact  that  he  had  recently  employed  a 
physician  ^^  who  was  being  "  mentioned "  as  the  next 
leader  in  his  assembly  district.  He  tried  to  induce  an- 
other keeper  ^^  to  take  the  same  doctor  ^^  because  of  po- 
litical advantages  to  be  gained  thereby. 

The  medical  certificates  obtained  under  the  circum- 
stances described  are,  of  course,  worthless.  According  to 
the  best  medical  opinion  the  inmates  are  all  danger- 
ous,—  in  many  of  them  disease  is  in  an  acute  stage. 
When  external  indications  develop,  the  women  are 
sent  to  a  hospital.  One  girl,  in  such  a  condition  as 
to  be  utterly  useless  in  the  house,  was  removed  by  her 
cadet,  who,  covering  up  the  signs  of  her  disease, 
put  her  on  the  street.  An  equally  unconscionable  and 
characteristic  incident  is  the  following:  A  young  trav- 
eling salesman  was  assured  that  an  inmate  was  free  from 
disease  and  a  medical  certificate  stating  this  fact  was 
shown  to  him.     As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  was  at  that 

8X461.  »Xi.  i»X473.  "X4iS-a. 

12  Discharging  his  present  doctor,  X  474. 

9 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

time  under  treatment  by  the  very  physician  who  had 
g^ven  her  the  certificate.  The  visitor  contracted  vene- 
real disease.  When  he  complained  to  the  madame,  she 
gave  him  a  card  of  introduction  to  the  same  doctor, 
in  order  that  he  too  might  receive  treatment. 

Since  the  general  closing  of  parlor  houses  in  1907  ^^ 
it  is  a  matter  of  common  complaint  among  owners  that 
business  is  not  what  it  was  before.  The  falling  off  is 
explained  by  an  alleged  increase  of  disorderly  flats  in 
tenements  and  of  massage  parlors.  An  owner  who  con- 
ducted a  house  on  West  24th  Street  before  and  after  the 
cleaning  up  in  1907  declared  that  his  receipts,  before 
that  date  $3,500  per  week  from  25  women,  have  grad- 
ually declined  until  now  they  are  about  $2,000  per  week. 
Another  owner,  in  West  36th  Street,  gave  the  reason 
for  this  falling  off :  He  had  visited  disorderly  flats  and 
had  there  seen  the  men  who  had  formerly  been  his 
customers.  "Why  do  the  authorities  bother  us?"  he 
remonstrated.  "  We  are  locked  within  four  walls.  No- 
body sees  anything;  nobody  hears  anything.  They  pass 
tenement  house  laws.  Why  don't  they  raid  the  flats  and 
let  us  alone  ?  " 

There  is  therefore  a  constant  effort  on  the  part  of 
the  keepers  of  parlor  houses  to  undermine  the  business 
done  by  women  on  the  street,  in  flats,  and  in  massage 
parlors.  They  write  anonymous  letters  to  the  Police 
Commissioner  and  the  Tenement  House  Department; 
they  send  men  to  the  flats  to  persuade  their  inmates  to 
leave  and  enter  the  parlor  houses  on  the  pretense  that 
much  more  money  can  be  earned  thus;  street  walkers 

13  For  details  and  results,  see  Chapter  VII. 

10 


Vice  Resorts 

are  frightened  away  from  the  vicinity  of  these  houses 
by  threats  of  the  police.  The  madame  of  an  establish- 
ment in  West  28th  Street  drove  away  a  street  walker 
who  was  soliciting  men  for  a  nearby  tenement  house  by 
telling  her  that  she  would  make  a  complaint  against  her 
for  using  a  tenement  for  immoral  purposes.  There  are 
cases  on  record  where  keepers  have  had  officers  on  the 
beat  and  plainclothes  men  arrest  street  walkers ;  they 
have  also  been  known  to  "  beat  up  "  girls  loitering  near 
their  places. 

If  the  getting  and  holding  of  attractive  inmates  is  one 
important  qualification  in  a  madame,  getting  and  holding 
trade  is  its  necessary  counterpart.  Madames  are  selected 
who  are  known  to  be  expert  in  soliciting  trade  and  *'  keep- 
ing it  in  the  house."  They  gradually  accumulate  lists 
of  names  and  addresses  of  men  and  boys,  keeping  them 
up  to  date,  and  at  stated  intervals  they  send  announce- 
ments of  change  of  address  or  a  veiled  suggestion  as  to 
the  "  quality  "  of  "  goods  "  on  display.  One  ingenious 
owner  has  a  very  neat  printed  folder  reading,  "  Kindly 
call  at  our  old  place  of  business,  as  we  have  a  Beautiful 
Spring  Stock  on  view."  Occasionally  —  as  in  the  ac- 
companying circular  —  no  object  at  all  is  alleged: 

"  Dear  Sir:  —  Kindly  call  at  your  earliest  convenience  at 
the  below  address. 

"  Respectfully  yours, 

"Xi.     W.  36th  Street." 

This  notice  was  sent  to  a  long  list  of  patrons  —  to 
sailors  on  board  certain  war  vessels,  to  business  men, 
and  to  clerks. 

Runners,    lookouts,    lighthouses,    and    watchboys  — 

II 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

the  names  involve  overlapping  duties  —  also  figure 
largely  in  procuring  trade.  The  chief  business  of  the 
lookout  is  to  stand  on  the  curb  in  front  of  the  house  or 
near  the  door  and  warn  the  inmates  who  solicit  at  the 
windows,  or  the  madame  in  the  house,  when  officers  or 
suspicious-looking  strangers  approach.  He  opens  the 
doors  of  cabs  and  taxis  and  conducts  prospective  custom- 
ers to  the  entrance  of  the  house.  If  a  stranger  appears 
to  be  "  green,"  the  lookout  urges  him  to  visit  the  resort,  at 
the  same  time  describing  the  inmates  and  the  prices 
charged.  One  of  his  important  duties  is  to  see  that  street 
walkers  do  not  solicit  in  front  of  his  employer's  house 
and  "  take  the  trade  away."  Together  with  the  runner 
or  lighthouse,  the  lookout  is  supplied  with  cards  advertis- 
ing the  house,  which  he  gives  to  men  and  boys  in 
the  street.  He  also  goes  wherever  men  and  boys  congre- 
gate —  to  saloons,  restaurants,  entertainments,  prize 
fights,  wrestling  bouts,  lobbies  of  theaters,  hotels,  and 
other  public  places,  to  distribute  cards  and  to  drum 
up  trade.  For  example,  on  March  7,  19 12,  a  run- 
ner, who  was  paid  twelve  dollars  a  week  and  tips 
for  his  services  in  behalf  of  a  "  fashionable  house " 
on  West  46th  Street,  went  to  the  Sportsman's  Show  at 
Madison  Square  Garden  to  advertise  his  establishment. 
On  June  24,  19 12,  a  runner  for  a  house  on  West  25th 
Street  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  West  24th 
Street  and  Sixth  Avenue,  describing  its  attractions  to 
passersby.  At  the  noon  hour  or  at  closing  time  he  stands 
in  front  of  entrances  to  factories,  department  stores,  and 
other  places  of  business  to  accost  the  workmen  and  dis- 
tribute cards. 

12 


Vice  Resorts 

These  young  men  are  usually  pimps  or  ex-pimps, 
former  waiters  in  saloons  and  restaurants,  ex-prize  fight- 
ers and  wrestlers,  gamblers,  crooks,  and  pickpockets  who 
have  lost  their  nerve.  ^*  They  form  a  class  by  themselves. 
They  are  the  "  down-and-outers "  in  the  underworld, 
eager  for  any  job  no  matter  how  poor  the  wage.  Some 
of  them  are  well  known  and  take  pride  in  their  ability 
to  "run  in"  a  lot  of  customers.  Saturday,  July  15, 
19 1 2,  one  of  them.  Max  by  name,  claimed  that  he  had 
*'  hustled  in  "  sixty-five  customers  that  day.  When  an 
argument  arose  between  him  and  a  competitor  as  to 
who  had  been  more  successful,  the  latter  produced  a 
slip  on  which  his  business  was  recorded:  for  June  15, 
16,  17  and  18  it  showed  $142,  $117,  $68,  and  $97,  re- 
spectively. 

Chauffeurs  and  cabmen  also  do  a  thriving  business  in 
soliciting  customers  for  vice  resorts, —  a  service  for 
which  they  receive  an  ample  commission.  Standing  at 
street  corners  or  in  front  of  hotels  and  restaurants,  they 
urge  men  in  low  tones  to  go  to  houses  or  to  "  ladies' 
clubs,"  as  they  are  sometimes  called.  "  I  know  some 
good  houses,"  "  I  '11  take  you  to  see  the  girls,"  "  I  know 
where  there  are  a  lot  of  chickens,"  are  among  the  famil- 
iar expressions  employed.  In  occasional  instances,  cus- 
tomers can  gain  access  only  if  escorted  to  the  door  by  the 
cabman,  who  tells  the  maid  that  the  man  he  has  brought 
is  "  all  right."  *"     "  Louie,"  one  of  the  most  aggressive 

1*  Among  them  X  189,  X  470,  X  472. 

15  Among  the  cabmen  who  are  active  in  promoting  this  business 
are  X  85,  Joe  X  22,  Louis  X  24,  X  483,  X  484,  X  485,  X486,  X487, 
X  488,    and    X  489.    As   a    rule   the   men   do   not   own    their   cabs, 

13 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

of  these  solicitors,  is  married  to  a  woman  ^®  who  herself 
conducts  an  assignation  house:  she  has  recently  served 
thirty  days  in  jail  for  participation  in  the  robbery  of  a 
guest. 

Finally,  bartenders  and  waiters  in  disorderly  saloons 
often  act  as  agents  for  the  procuring  of  customers: 
indeed,  they  are  not  seldom  the  pimps  of  the  women  for 
whom  they  act.  Customers  entering  the  saloon  to  drink 
are  directed  to  the  tables  where  their  women  sit  or  receive 
the  business  cards  of  the  houses  where  their  women  are 
to  be  found.^"^  Out-of-town  visitors  are  not  infrequently 
"  steered  "  by  hotel  porters  and  clerks. 

With  the  exception  of  the  relatively  small  number  of 
"  exclusive  establishments  "  already  alluded  to,  the  re- 
sorts here  dealt  with  —  something  approaching  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  of  them  —  were  at  the  period  of  this  in- 
vestigation notorious  and  accessible.  The  advertising 
devices  above  described  were  openly  employed ;  and  visit- 
ors procured  easy  entrance  at  most  places.  External  or- 
der is,  however,  usually  preserved.  Madames  and  in- 
mate rarely  and  then  very  cautiously  solicit  trade  from 

but  hire  them  by  the  day  or  night  from  proprietors  of  livery  stables. 
In  any  case,  they  are  supposed  to  have  a  license,  which  costs  fifty 
cents  per  year. 

i«  X  490. 

1^  At  10.40  p.  M.,  on  March  25,  1912,  the  bartender  in  a  saloon  on 
Manhattan  Avenue  suggested  to  a  man  that  he  visit  an  apartment  in 
a  tenement  house  at  (X  475)  West  iiith  Street.  A  waiter  in  a 
disorderly  saloon  at  (X  476)  Seventh  Avenue  endeavored  to  per- 
suade a  man  in  the  rear  room  to  go  to  a  house  cm  the  second  floor 
of  a  building  at  (X  147)  Broadway.  The  waiter  said  there  were 
three  women  in  this  resort  and  the  price  was  only  $5.  Liquor  was 
sold  there  at  $2  per  round. 

14 


Vice  Resorts 

windows,  doors,  or  stoops  of  their  houses,  as  they  did  in 
former  years.  They  do,  however,  practise  this  method  to 
some  extent  at  the  present  time,  especially  in  connection 
with  some  of  the  one-dollar  houses  on  the  side  streets  be- 
tween Sixth  and  Seventh  Avenues. 

The  sale  of  wine  and  beer  plays  an  important  part 
in  the  prosperity  of  the  parlor  house.  Deprived  of  this 
adjunct,  business  falls  off  to  an  alarming  extent.  There 
is  no  difference  of  opinion  among  owners  and  madames 
as  to  the  importance  of  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors. 
Especially  is  this  true  in  the  five-,  ten-,  and  twenty-dollar 
houses,  frequented  by  a  more  pretentious  type  of  cus- 
tomer. In  such  places  a  small  bottle  of  wine  is  sold 
for  five  dollars.  A  "  round  of  drinks,"  namely,  a  pint 
of  beer  served  in  very  small  glasses,  brings  two  dollars. 
Very  little  wine  or  beer  is  sold  in  the  one-  or  two-dollar 
parlor  houses  in  New  York  City  at  the  present  time. 

In  the  more  exclusive  parlor  houses  "  circuses  "  or 
"  shows "  are  also  given  by  way  of  stimulating  busi- 
ness. These  exhibitions  are  too  vulgar  and  degrading 
to  be  described.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  men  have  been 
known  to  spend  fifty  and  seventy-five  dollars  for  such 
exhibitions.  So  also,  obscene  books,  photographs,  etc., 
are  sold  or  exhibited. 

One  more  fact  must  be  emphasized  in  connection  with 
business  management:  alcohol  is  needed  to  keep  the  in- 
mates to  their  task;  but  even  more  essential  from  the 
business  standpoint  are  drugs.  The  girl  must  be  kept 
gay  and  attractive;  her  eyes  must  look  out  upon  the 
world  of  business  bright  and  unfaltering.  She  must 
smile  and  laugh  and  sing  and  dance,  or  she  becomes  a 

15 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

"  has  been,"  a  "  poor  money  maker,"  and  so  in  danger 
of  losing  her  **  job."  Is  it  any  wonder  that  she  be- 
comes a  drug  fiend  as  well  as  a  drunkard  ? 

In  the  preceding  account  I  have  aimed  to  give  certain 
general  characteristics  of  the  parlor  house.  By  way 
of  making  the  picture  somewhat  more  vivid  I  shall  briefly 
describe  a  few  houses  of  each  of  the  three  types  with 
which  the  account  deals,  namely,  the  fifty-cent  house, 
the  dollar  house,  the  five-  and  ten-dollar  house. 

A  well  known  place  in  Worth  Street  ^®  is  a  fair  sample 
of  the  cheapest  establishment, —  a  frame  building,  four 
stories  in  height.  The  investigator  who  entered  at  4.30 
p.  M.,  April  12,  19 1 2,  picked  his  way  through  a  base- 
ment where  a  cobbler  sat  at  his  work.  After  climbing 
two  flights  of  stairs  he  found  himself  in  a  large,  loft-like 
room  formerly  used  for  manufacturing  purposes.  The 
rooms  where  prostitution  is  carried  on  are  partitioned 
off  by  means  of  curtains.  The  only  furniture  in  the 
receiving  "  parlor  "  are  old  leather  couches  and  chairs. 
The  curtains  over  the  windows  are  of  dark,  heavy  ma- 
terial, almost  shutting  out  the  light  and  air.  The  en- 
tire interior  is  in  a  condition  of  decay,  a  fit  setting  for 
the  use  to  which  it  is  put.  Three  of  the  five  inmates  were 
present,  scantily  dressed  and  all  claiming  to  possess  health 
certificates,  issued  by  the  house  doctor. 

In  the  parlor  of  a  three-story  house  in  Hester  Street,^* 
investigated  at  i  p.  M.  on  April  15,  19 12,  there  were 
three  inmates  awaiting  customers.  A  lighthouse,  named 
Angelo,  stood  on  the  stoop,  beckoning  to  passers-by  to 
enter.     Angelo  is  about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  a  short, 

18  X  3.  "X  4. 

16 


Vice  Resorts 

heavy  man,  with  a  black  mustache;  a  cap  sits  upon 
his  mass  of  black  hair.  The  man  is  well  versed  in 
the  art  of  "  pulling "  customers  into  the  house  for 
which  he  works.  As  men  approach,  he  motions  with 
his  head  and  right  thumb  toward  the  door,  and,  at  the 
same  time  an  expressive  look  comes  into  his  watery 
eyes.  In  the  rear  of  the  house  is  a  large  tenement  build- 
ing and  little  children  were  playing  and  running  through 
the  hall  at  the  time. 

In  one  of  the  houses  of  this  type  a  large  wooden  bench 
was  placed  against  the  wall  of  the  receiving  parlor. 
Business  was  very  brisk  at  the  time  the  investigator  en- 
tered. The  bench  was  full  of  customers  crowded  close 
together,  while  others,  who  could  not  be  accommodated 
with  seats,  stood  about  the  room.  At  the  foot  of  the 
stairs  which  led  to  the  bedrooms  above,  a  man  was  sta- 
tioned. Every  time  a  visitor  came  groping  his  way 
down  the  stairs,  the  businesslike  and  aggressive  an- 
nouncer would  cry  out,  "  Next !  "  At  the  word,  the 
man  sitting  on  the  end  of  the  bench  nearest  the  stairs 
arose  and  passed  up.  As  he  did  so,  the  men  on  the 
bench  moved  along  and  one  of  the  men  who  were  stand- 
ing took  the  vacant  seat. 

Of  the  three  grades  of  parlor  house,  the  one-dollar  es- 
tablishment predominates  in  Manhattan.  Eighty  of  them 
were  discovered  during  this  investigation.  They  differ 
from  the  fifty-cent  houses  just  described  only  in  the 
somewhat  better  character  of  their  surroundings.  One  of 
them  on  Sixth  Avenue  ^°  was  visited  at  12.45  a.  m., 
March  i,   19 12.     A  little  woman  admitted  the  investi- 

20  Xg. 

17 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

gator  to  the  receiving  room,  where  sat  nine  inmates,  all 
scantily  dressed.  At  9.30  p.  m.  on  March  6,  19 12,  an- 
other investigator  counted  eighteen  inmates  at  this  same 
address;  during  the  evening  of  October  8,  1912,  still  an- 
other investigator  visited  this  house  and  counted  ten 
inmates.  The  house  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  in 
the  business;  it  is  well  advertised  and  has  a  large  list 
of  customers. 

The  receiving  parlor  of  another  house  on  Sixth  Ave- 
nue ^^  is  reached  by  climbing  a  flight  of  winding  stairs 
and  passing  through  a  red  door  with  a  little  window 
in  it.  The  bedrooms  are  small  and  dirty,  with  prac- 
tically no  furniture.  But  the  madame  is  very  ener- 
getic. As  customers  enter  the  house  she  does  not 
allow  them  to  sit  about  and  talk  with  the  inmates,  but 
urges  them  to  spend  money  or  leave.  At  12.45  a.  m., 
March  14,  19 12,  twelve  inmates  in  flimsy  costumes  were 
seated  about  the  parlor  with  five  men  —  one  a  forlorn 
peddler  who  had  come  in  to  sell  fruit.  The  place  was 
in  an  uproar.  One  of  the  inmates  was  quarreling  with 
the  madame ;  several  were  complaining  of  poor  business. 
One  of  them  showed  the  investigator  a  plain  white  card 
with  seven  punched  holes,  proving  that  up  to  that 
hour  she  had  earned  only  seven  dollars,  half  of  which 
was  hers.  She  stated  that  she  has  to  pay  two  dollars 
per  day  for  board  whether  she  lives  at  the  house  or  not. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  she  as  well  as  other  girls  in  some  of 
these  houses  lives  at  home,  going  home  early  in  the  morn- 
ing and  not  coming  to  "  work  "  until  6  p.  m. 

In  an  establishment  in  West  28th  Street  ^^  —  torn  down 

21XII.  22x12. 

18 


Vice  Resorts 

during  the  summer  to  make  way  for  a  loft  building  — 
the  business  was  so  profitable  in  June  that  the  keepers 
are  said  to  have  paid  the  wrecker  a  large  sum  to  delay 
from  week  to  week.  July  9  was  one  of  the  hottest  days 
of  the  year.  The  odors  in  the  old  house,  dirty  and  fall- 
ing into  decay,  were  indescribable.  Through  the  long 
hours  the  sixteen  inmates  sat,  hot  and  sullen.  The  day 
before  the  madame  had  left  for  a  resort  in  Sullivan 
County  where  many  of  her  kind  go  during  the  sum- 
mer months.  She  had  placed  in  charge  the  house- 
keeper,-^ who  did  the  best  she  could  to  keep  the  girls  in 
good  humor  and  to  get  through  the  day's  business.  On 
this  hot  July  day  there  were  264  customers.  So  the 
records  on  the  cards  showed  the  next  morning  as  the 
housekeeper  sat  with  the  "  boss  "  making  up  the  "  books." 
Buster  served  30  of  these ;  Babie,  27 ;  Charlotte,  23 ;  Dolly, 
20,  and  so  on.  But  the  "  boss  "  was  not  satisfied.  "  Why 
were  not  more  women  on  the  job  last  night?"  he 
demanded.  The  housekeeper  replied  that  they  had 
stayed  away  because  of  the  heat, —  they  had  been  com- 
pletely "  done  up  "  the  day  before.  Then  the  fat  and 
well-groomed  owner  of  the  business  picked  up  a  china 
cup  and  hurled  it  at  his  luckless  representative,  while  he 
cursed  loud  and  deep.  "  The  trade  must  be  taken  care 
of  "  and  if  she  could  n't  "  do  it  "  he  would  get  "  some  one 
who  could." 

To  the  third  group  belong  all  houses  where  higher 
prices  rule :  sometimes  twenty-five  dollars,  or  even  more, 
are  demanded,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  service 
performed.     Men  of  standing  have  been  heard  to  ad- 

23  X  13. 

19 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

vise  young  men  to  patronize  this  class  of  house  on 
the  ground  that  there  is  less  danger;  everything  is  said 
to  be  sanitary,  the  inmates  less  vulgar,  younger,  and  more 
intelligent.  The  external  appointments  are  indeed  good, 
and  there  is  at  times  even  an  outward  air  of  refinement. 
Costly  dresses  and  valuable  jewelry  are  worn ;  the  women 
are  young,  sometimes  attractive  in  appearance. 

For  several  years  a  house  in  West  15th  Street^*  has 
been  a  notorious  resort  of  this  description.  The  prop- 
erty is  owned  by  the  madame  who  conducts  the  business 
for  a  very  exclusive  trade.  For  some  time  it  was 
impossible  for  the  investigators  to  gain  admittance. 
Finally,  at  11.45  p.  m..  May  5,  1912,  one  of  them  was 
"  introduced  "  by  a  man  well  known  as  a  promoter  of 
the  business  in  former  years.  Six  inmates  were  on  hand 
at  this  hour,  "  house  girls,"  as  they  are  called, —  that 
is,  they  are  "  steady "  and  leave  all  their  earnings  to 
the  house,  purchasing  from  the  madame  everything  they 
require,  dresses,  hats,  gloves,  hose,  cosmetics,  etc.,  all  at 
exorbitant  prices.  On  one  occasion  a  rich  man  remained 
here  four  days  and  spent  $600.  To  use  the  madame's 
words,  "  He  opened  ninety  pints  of  wine  at  five  dollars 
a  pint ;  that  is,  I  charged  him  for  ninety  pints." 

On  this  same  street  is  another  establishment,^'  which 
has  been  conducted  for  several  years.  Here  again  the 
investigator  had  to  be  introduced  before  he  was  allowed 
to  enter.  The  madame  owns  the  property,  having  paid 
$20,000  for  it  some  years  ago.  Like  other  women  of 
her  type,  she  has  what  she  calls  a  "  protector  " —  in  this 
case  said  to  be  a  politician  and  ex-city  official.  Ten 
2*  X  19.  25  X  20. 

20 


Vice  Resorts 

years  ago  this  man  met  her  when  she  was  an  inmate  in 
Diamond  Fanny's  house  on  West  40th  Street.  Becom- 
ing infatuated  with  her,  he  took  her  away  and  **  kept " 
her.  Finally,  he  "  set  her  up  in  business,"  and  now  he 
"  looks  after  her."  The  madame  keeps  a  list  of  girls 
whom  she  calls  to  the  house  as  occasion  requires.  She 
described  them  as  being  '*  short  ones,"  "  tall  ones," 
"blondes,"  "brunettes,"  "stout  ones,"  "thin  ones," 
and  "  just  kids."  "  Men,"  she  said,  "  are  very  fussy 
and  you  have  to  cater  to  them  if  you  want  to  keep  their 
trade."  Some  of  the  girls,  she  said,  are  employed  by  day 
in  stores  and  offices,  and  take  this  method  of  increasing 
their  earnings. 

At  11.30  P.M.,  February  16,  1912,  the  investigator 
was  taken  to  a  very  exclusive  house  ^^^  by  a  chauffeur  who 
receives  a  commission  on  every  customer  he  secures. 
There  were  fifteen  young  and  attractive  girls  in  the 
receiving  parlors,  in  one  of  which  in  the  rear  of  the 
house  an  orchestra  of  young  men  played  through  the 
evening.  The  patron  is  ushered  into  the  front  parlor 
by  colored  maids  trim  and  smart  in  white  aprons;  here 
the  youngest  of  the  "  stock "  is  shown.  The  parlors 
are  equipped  with  gold-trimmed  furniture.  Rich  rugs 
and  pretentious  paintings  testify  to  prosperity.  Wine 
and  beer  are  sold  at  the  usual  exorbitant  prices.  The 
inmates  are  dressed  in  elaborate  evening  gowns  of  silk 
and  satin.  As  the  investigator  started  to  leave,  the 
madame  said,  "  Every  Saturday  night  is  bargain  night, 
and  next  Saturday  I  shall  have  twelve  young  girls 
and    guarantee    them    to    be    not    over    sixteen    years 

25a  X  894. 

21 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

of  age.  You  must  come  early  and  get  one  of  the  bar- 
gains." 

To  some  of  these  places  customers  are  admitted  only 
if  they  come  in  a  cab  or  a  taxi.  This  was  the  case  at 
a  place  in  West  46th  Street  ^^  at  2.30  a.  m.,  April  i,  1912. 
At  this  hour  two  men  were  refused  admission  because 
they  were  not  known  and  did  not  come  in  a  cab.  The 
investigator,  however,  fared  better :  he  had  been  brought 
to  the  house  by  Joe,^''  a  cabman  who  recommended  him 
to  the  madame. 

It  might  be  suggested  that  the  foregoing  data  prove  at 
most  that  parlor  houses  were  in  operation  on  the  specific 
dates  mentioned,  and  then  only.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  establishments  in  question  were  observed  from  week 
to  week  and  from  month  to  month.  Notorious  though 
they  were,  there  was  for  the  most  part  no  interruption 
of  business,  except,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  period  of  our 
investigation,  as  a  consequence  of  a  startling  event  to  be 
described  later.^®  A  dollar  house  in  Sixth  Avenue  ^®  was 
visited  March  5,  March  6,  May  25,  July  21,  and  August 
25,  1912 ;  another  ^"  on  West  24th  Street,  was  visited  Feb- 
ruary 2,  February  19,  March  24,  May  24,  May  25,  19 12 ; 
twelve  visits  were  paid  to  another  in  West  25th  Street  ^* 
between  February  i  and  July  16;  the  same  number  be- 
tween February  8  and  July  15  to  a  house  in  West  31st 
Street.32 

2«  X  21.  27  X  22. 

28  The  event  alluded  to  is  the  murder  of  a  notorious  gambler, 
which  shortly  resulted  in  a  change  of  attitude  on  the  subject  under 
discussion.     See  Chapter  VII. 

29X25.  30X41.  21X59.  «2Xi6. 

22 


Vice  Resorts 

The  above  instances  are  taken  almost  at  random ;  many 
more  are  brought  together  at  the  close  of  this  volume.^^ 
They  establish  beyond  a  doubt  the  systematic,  notorious, 
and  well-night  undisturbed  conduct  of  a  large  number  of 
brothels  in  Manhattan  during  the  period  with  which  this 
record  deals. 

33  Additional  data,  Parlor  Houses,  Appendix  IX;  also  Appendix 
III,  "  Inmates  of  Vice  Resorts." 


23 


CHAPTER  II 

VICE  resorts:    (b)  tenement  houses,*  hotels,  fur- 
nished ROOMS,  massage  PARLORS 

The  general  situation  in  respect  to  vice  resorts  other 
than  parlor  houses  does  not  materially  differ  from  the  con- 
ditions described  in  the  preceding  chapter.  Tenements, 
hotels,  and  massage  parlors  were  found  to  be  openly, 
flagrantly,  and  in  large  numbers  utilized  for  the  com- 
mercial exploitation  of  prostitution  in  the  interest,  not 
of  the  woman  herself,  but  of  a  promoter  who  drives 
her  to  do  her  utmost  and  assists  in  the  work  by  cun- 
ningly angling  for  victims  for  her.  The  resorts  to  be 
now  described  were  in  many,  perhaps  in  most  instances, 
well  known,  accessible,  and  —  for  the  period  of  this  in- 
quiry —  usually  unmolested. 

(l)    VICE  RESORTS  IN  TENEMENTS 

The  tenement  house  law  of  191 1  defines  a  tenement 
house  as  a  "  house  or  building,  or  portion  thereof,  which 
is  rented,  leased,  let  or  hired  out,  to  be  occupied,  or  is  oc- 
cupied as  the  home  or  residence  of  three  families  or  more 
living  independently  of  each  other,  and  doing  their  cook- 
ing upon  the  premises,  or  by  more  than  two  families  upon 
any  floor  so  living  and  cooking,  but  having  a  common 
right  in  the  halls,  stairways,  yards,  water-closets  or  priv- 

1  Including  apartment  houses. 

24 


Vice  Resorts 

ies,  or  some  of  them."  Any  portion  of  a  house  of  this 
description  which  is  habitually  used  for  the  business  of 
prostitution  is  regarded  in  this  volume  as  a  vice  resort  in 
a  tenement.  During  the  period  of  this  investigation  1 172 
different  vice  resorts  were  found  in  575  tenement  houses 
at  separate  addresses  in  Manhattan. 

The  majority  of  the  tenement  buildings  in  which  pro- 
fessional prostitutes  thus  ply  their  trade  are  situated 
between  West  59th  Street  and  West  iioth  Street,  from 
Central  Park  west  to  Broadway  or  the  river.  A 
few  of  the  cheaper  type  are  conducted  on  the  East 
Side  in  the  vicinity  of  East  127th  Street.  On  the 
lower  East  Side  these  resorts  are  less  numerous  than 
formerly. 

The  conditions  in  many  of  these  tenements  are  scan- 
dalous and  demoralizing  to  the  last  degree.  Children 
grow  up  in  them  amid  unsanitary  conditions,  with  bad 
air  and  light,  wearing  clothes  which  do  not  keep  the 
body  warm,  feating  food  which  does  not  nourish,  sleeping 
in  crowded  rooms, — brothers  with  sisters,  daughters  with 
fathers, —  dressing  and  undressing  in  the  presence  of 
boarders  or  distant  relatives,  and  witnessing  sights  never 
meant  for  the  eyes  of  innocence.  And,  as  if  this  were  not 
enough  to  complete  the  moral  breakdown,  the  prostitute 
creeps  in  like  an  infectious  disease  and  spreads  her  de- 
grading influence, —  often  without  the  least  effort  to  con- 
ceal her  vocation. 

Examples  are  all   too   common:     On   February   19, 
about  7 130  p.  M.,  an  investigator  was  told  of  a  disorderly 
place  in  a  basement  near  by.^^  It  was  suggested  that  he 
la  X  112,  X  113,  X  114. 

25 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

ring  the  janitor's  bell  and  ask  for  the  woman.  When  he 
did  so,  a  little  girl,  apparently  twelve  years  of  age,  came 
to  the  door.  The  child  fully  understood;  going  to  the 
basement  door,  she  called  for  the  woman,  who,  opening 
the  door,  carefully  scrutinized  the  investigator  and  invited 
him  to  enter. 

A  pale  little  girl,  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  was  the 
companion  of  the  dirty,  rum-soaked  janitress  of  a  tene- 
ment on  West  107th  Street.  The  woman  declared  with 
vehemence  that  she  would  never  allow  any  of  these  "  vile 
huzzies  "  to  live  in  her  house ;  but  there  were  plenty  of 
them  on  the  street,  she  said,  turning  to  the  child  for  con- 
firmation of  her  statement.  And  the  child  told  of  their 
haunts  in  the  neighborhood,  giving  house-number  after 
house-number. 

One  day  on  West  io8th  Street  the  following  scene  was 
enacted :  Two  small  girls  and  two  boys  were  standing  on 
the  stoop  as  a  man  came  up  and  rang  a  certain  bell.  As 
he  did  so  the  children  snickered  and  spoke  in  whispers  to 
one  another.  They  knew  that  the  bell  rang  in  the  apart- 
ment on  the  second  floor  rear ;  that  the  woman  who  came 
to  the  door  in  a  loose  kimono,  with  a  mass  of  yellow  hair 
and  painted  cheeks,  was  a  prostitute  ^  and  that  many  other 
men  with  the  same  furtive  eye,  the  same  hesitating  man- 
ner, had  often  passed  through  that  door  on  other  after- 
noons and  nights. 

A  census  was  taken  in  27  different  tenements  where  im- 
moral conditions  were  found  to  exist  during  the  month  of 
February,  1912;  18  of  them  situated  on  the  East 
Side,  9  on  the  West  Side.     There  were  390  families 

2X115. 

26 


Vice  Resorts 

living  in  the  27  tenements,  with  425  children  under  16 
years  of  age,  214  boys  and  211  girls.  In  addition,  there 
were  92  unmarried  men  over  16  and  65  unmarried  women 
over  16.  The  investigator  also  reported  30  widows  liv- 
ing in  these  houses,  with  18  children,  the  eldest  being  12 
years  of  age.  In  the  different  apartments  56  women 
were  found  who,  on  the  basis  of  dress,  conversation,  and 
general  bearing,  were  classed  as  "  suspicious."  While 
passing  through  the  buildings  up  flights  of  stairs,  from 
floor  to  floor,  he  noted  the  bad  air,  the  dim  light,  the  sag- 
ging floors,  the  dirty  rooms  where  the  walls  were  crack- 
ing through  the  paper.  At  times  children  were  playing 
in  front  of  doors  behind  which  prostitutes  plied  their 
trade. 

The  prostitute  does  well  for  herself  to  take  up  her 
abode  among  the  families  of  the  poor.  Her  first  move 
is  to  "  get  a  stand-in  "  with  the  janitor  or  his  wife.  She 
"  slips  "  them  a  dollar  to  see  that  the  moving  man  does 
not  injure  the  furniture.  She  alone  among  the  tenants 
gives  presents,  fruit  and  candy  to  the  children  and  pays 
them  to  run  errands;  slowly,  but  surely,  she  establishes 
herself  securely  under  the  eye  that  does  not  see  and  the 
ear  that  does  not  hear. 

In  no  essential  respect  does  the  conduct  of  a  tenement 
vice  resort  differ  from  that  of  the  parlor  house  previously 
described.  Prices  are  of  the  same  range,  from  fifty  cents 
to  ten  dollars ;  occasionally  twenty-five  dollars  may  be 
demanded.  The  same  pretense  of  medical  examination  is 
made.  The  same  advertising  devices  are  employed.  A 
madame  who  conducts  a  prosperous  business  in  a  tene- 
ment in  West  58th  Street  sends  a  letter  to  her  former  cus- 

27 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

tomers  announcing  the  removal  of  the  "  library."  ^  The 
use  of  the  word  "  library  "  to  indicate  the  resort  and  of 
"  books  "  to  indicate  inmates  is  a  popular  one.  Another 
madame  urges  her  former  patrons  to  renew  their  "  mem- 
bership in  the  library  " ;  "  new  books,"  she  asserts,  are 
"  on  file  in  our  new  quarters."  Still  another  enterprising 
promoter  invites  men  to  her  place  of  business  by  saying, 
"  Please  call  as  I  have  a  new  member  in  the  lodge." 
Similarly,  business  is  procured  through  the  same  agents 
utilized  by  the  parlor  house  —  runners,  bartenders,  cabmen 
and  chauffeurs.  Where  several  establishments  are  con- 
ducted in  one  apartment  building,  elevator  boys  are  given 
liberal  tips  by  rival  madames  for  "  steering  "  callers  to 
their  flats.  Often  the  madames  or  selected  inmates  go  to 
public  places  or  on  the  streets  to  solicit  men.  Sometimes 
they  visit  a  large  office  building  and  under  some  pretext 
seek  an  interview  with  the  heads  of  firms  or  with  man- 
agers, and  leave  their  cards.  One  day  a  young  lawyer 
received  a  letter  asking  him  to  call  at  a  certain  address  in 
Harlem  on  a  matter  of  business.  Though  he  did  not  rec- 
ognize the  name,  he  kept  the  appointment.  He  was  dum- 
founded  to  find  the  supposed  client  a  madame  who  had 
four  inmates  in  her  resort. 

Liquor  is  more  largely  sold  in  tenement  resorts  than 
in  parlor  houses ;  the  prices  are  usually  the  same,  five  dol- 
lars for  a  small  bottle  of  wine,  two  dollars  for  a  round  of 
beer.  In  many  of  the  resorts  in  tenements  drugs  are  used 
by  the  inmates  and  sold  to  customers.  For  instance,  the 
investigator  of  a  resort  on  West  iiith  Street  found  sev- 
eral men  smoking  opium.     In  another  flat,  on  West  37th 

SX117,  X118. 

28 


Vice  Resorts 

Street,  one  of  the  colored  inmates  was  snuffing  cocaine. 
In  a  tenement  on  West  39th  Street  there  is  an  opium 
"  joint  "  on  the  second  floor  where  prostitutes  "  smoke." 
Some  of  the  girls  spend  five  and  six  dollars  a  day  in 
this  place.  A  girl  who  solicits  on  the  street  for  a  vice 
resort  in  a  tenement  on  West  38th  Street  is  a  "  dope 
fiend,"  and  the  madame  of  a  flat  on  West  43rd  Street, 
where  there  are  four  inmates,  is  addicted  to  the  opium 
habit. 

Not  infrequently  an  apartment  is  utilized  as  a  call- 
house  :  girls,  not  living  on  the  premises,  are  summoned  by 
telephone  when  customers  arrive.  Additional  recruits 
are  also  procured  by  call,  when  needed.  The  "  call "  is 
sometimes  a  half-way  stage  for  the  working  girl  on  the 
road  to  complete  prostitution.  One  day  the  madame  of 
a  call-house  on  West  58th  Street  received  a  special  de- 
livery letter,  the  number  of  which  was  14.446 — 9,  read- 
ing as  follows : 

"Dear  Madam, — 

"  I  tried  to  get  you  on  the  wire,  but  could  not  get  you. 
Kindly  send  Miss  Viola,  the  pretty  little  blonde,  over  at 
2.30,  not  later  if  possible,  on  Monday  afternoon  (to-mor- 
row) without  fail  —  this  is  a  good  engagement. 

"  Also  send  me  another  pretty  young  girl  and  accommo- 
dating at  1.30  sharp.     Now  please  do  not  disappoint  me.* 

"Signed  (Mrs.)  

"Sunday,  May  28th." 

Call-houses  are  usually  cozy  and  homelike,  presided 
over  by  a  woman  who  dwells  upon  her  efforts  to  make 

*  The  original  copy  of  this  letter  is  on  file.  The  woman's  name 
and  address  are  X  119,  X  120. 

29 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

her  customers  happy  and  comfortable.  She  declares  that 
there  are  so  many  "  nice  respectable  men  "  who  are  lonely 
in  a  big-  city  and  who  want  places  where  they  will  feel 
absolutely  safe,  where  they  can  meet  pretty  girls,  spend 
the  evening,  and  get  a  few  drinks.  The  stock  in  trade  of 
such  a  house  is  usually  a  collection  of  photographs  of  the 
girls  who  are  *'  on  call."  In  addition,  the  madame  ex- 
hibits a  description  of  them,  with  measurements  to  show 
their  physical  development;  the  prices  are  appended. 
Her  victims  are  variously  procured  :  sometimes  in  restau- 
rants frequented  by  girls  who  are  employed  in  offices  and 
stores :  again,  her  place  of  operation  may  be  the  ladies' 
retiring  room,  where  she  enters  into  conversation  with 
girls,  inviting  them  to  a  meal  or  to  spend  an  evening  in 
her  apartment.  If  she  sees  a  girl  alone  at  a  table,  she  asks 
whether  she  may  sit  down  with  her  and  urges  her  to  have 
a  "  little  drink."  Thus  acquaintance  springs  up  and 
"  dates  "  are  made  for  the  theater,  the  madame  paying 
the  bill.  At  other  times  she  goes  to  a  department  store 
and  selects  a  girl,  from  whom  she  makes  her  purchases. 
The  girl  may  be  flattered  by  evidences  of  interest  and 
friendship,  or  tempted  by  the  prospects  of  fine  clothes, 
leisure,  and  opportunities  for  pleasure.  The  danger  is 
especially  great  if  she  has  previously  lapsed. 

On  certain  streets  on  the  East  Side  below  14th  Street 
and  in  Harlem  there  are  a  number  of  cider  "  stubes  " 
in  the  basement  of  tenement  houses.  In  these  "  stubes  " 
foreign  girls  act  as  waitresses,  serving  small  glasses  of 
cider  or  other  soft  drinks  to  customers.  While  serving, 
the  girls  solicit  their  customers  to  enter  small  rooms  in 
the  rear  of  the  basement.     The  keepers  of  these  "  stubes  " 

30 


Vice  Resorts 

are  constantly  advertising  in  the  foreign  papers  published 
in  New  York  for  waitresses,  offering  to  pay  five  or  six 
dollars  a  week  for  such  service.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
many  ignorant  foreign  girls  are  thus  lured  into  lives  of 
prostitution.  One  keeper  who  had  a  waitress  about  38 
years  of  age  told  the  investigator  that  she  expected  to 
have  two  or  three  young  girls  in  a  few  days.  Another 
proprietor  tried  to  secure  the  custom  of  the  investigator 
by  saying  that  he  expected  to  secure  two  nice  young  girls 
for  his  "  stube."  Both  were  advertising  in  a  German 
paper  for  help  at  the  time.  Such  an  advertisement  for  a 
very  disreputable  *'  stube  "  on  East  4th  Street  appeared  in 
a  German  newspaper  on  March  29,  April  6,  8,  12,  13,  14, 
and  19. 

Our  records  abound  in  material  illustrating  the  fore- 
going account.  For  example,  on  May  19,  19 12,  at 
7  p.  M.,  and  again  on  May  20,  19 12,  at  8  p.  m.,  the  in- 
vestigator visited  a  vice  resort  in  a  tenement  in  West  43rd 
Street.^  There  were  four  inmates  in  the  receiving  parlor, 
all  claiming  to  have  medical  certificates.  The  madame  ^ 
declared,  however,  that  if  none  of  them  suited  she  would 
for  a  larger  price  call  up  a  young  girl  who  was  not  "  a 
regular  sport."  Thereupon  she  summoned  the  girl  by 
telephone.''  The  newcomer  appeared  to  be  about  eighteen 
years  of  age.  While  talking  with  the  investigator,  Irene 
said  she  had  been  in  the  "  business  "  since  last  Septem- 
ber but  worked  in  a  department  store  in  Brooklyn.^  Pre- 
viously to  this  she  had  been  employed  in  a  store  on  Sixth 
Avenue.  About  one  and  a  half  years  ago  —  so  she  says 
—  her  sweetheart,  a  shipping  clerk,  who  makes  $12  a 

6  X  121.  «  X  122.  7  Bryant,  X  124.  «  X  123. 

31 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

week,  seduced  her,  promising  marriage :  he  does  not  know 
that  Irene  is  making  money  "  on  the  side  "  in  this  manner. 
Her  aunt,  with  whom  she  Hves,  is  very  strict  with  her,  re- 
quiring her  to  be  home  at  ten  o'clock  every  night. 

The  investigator  pretended  not  to  be  satisfied  with 
Irene ;  thereupon  another  girl,  Margie,  spoke  up :  she 
knew  a  "  kid  "  that  would  suit,  but  the  price  would  be 
ten  "bucks  "  (dollars).  From  other  remarks  made,  the 
investigator  believes  that  the  "  kid  "  referred  to  is  her  sis- 
ter, Margie  leaves  the  flat  at  5.30  p.  m.,  for  her  home  in 
Brooklyn,  where  she  lives  with  her  parents.  They  are  un- 
der the  impression  that  she  is  employed  through  the  day  in 
a  wholesale  millinery  store  downtown.  The  madame 
still  insisted  that  if  the  supposed  prospective  customer 
really  wanted  young  and  pretty  girls  she  could  get  them : 
"  but,"  she  added,  "  these  girls  come  high,  five  and  ten 
dollars." 

On  November  6,  191 1,  a  woman  who  was  afterwards 
employed  in  this  investigation  received  a  letter  concerning 
a  cider  "  stube  "  in  a  tenement  in  East  5th  Street.®  The 
letter  read  as  follows : 

"  Reading  of  your  good  work  in  lending  your  services 
to  assist  the  unfortunate  creatures,  I  hope  you  will  give 
your  undivided  attention,  for  this  certain  woman  ^°  is  en- 
gaged in  this  business  for  the  last  seven  years  and  is  too 
shrewd  to  be  caught.  You  will  have  to  watch  carefully 
her  movements.  She  keeps  a  cider  store  on  East  5th 
Street,  New  York.  .  .  .  Look  up  her  record  and  you  will 

»Xi2S.  10X126. 

For  further  examples,  the  reader  is  referred  to  Appendix  X,  "  Ad- 
ditional Data  —  Tenements." 

2>2 


Vice  Resorts 

see  she  was  arrested  a  few  times.  .  .  .  She  just  was  sen- 
tenced four  months  over  the  Island.  .  .  .  Please  I  beg  you 
to  look  into  this  matter.  I  would  give  you  my  name,  but 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  do  so.  I  am  a  citizen  of  the 
U.  S.  A.     I  know  this  place  ruins  many  young  girls." 

At  12.30  p.  M.,  February  22,  1912,  the  investigator 
found  two  women  in  this  place,  by  both  of  whom  he  was 
solicited  to  go  to  a  rear  room  for  immoral  purposes. 
When  they  failed  in  their  efforts,  the  proprietor  said  that 
she  could  get  him  a  young  girl  if  he  preferred.  Two 
days  later  the  resort  was  visited  by  another  investigator, 
who  found  two  women  acting  as  waitresses,  by  one  of 
whom  he  was  similarly  solicited. 

The  various  establishments  above  mentioned  were  all 
repeatedly  visited  in  order  to  show  their  relatively  per- 
manent character  and  their  freedom  from  interference: 
one  ^^  on  Broadway  was  visited  nine  times  in  five  weeks: 
another, ^^  in  West  29th  Street,  five  times  between  Febru- 
ary 8  and  August  19 ;  a  third,^^  in  the  same  neighborhood, 
five  times  in  four  months. 

(2)       ASSIGNATION   AND  DISORDERLY   HOTELS 

The  parlor  house  and  the  tenement  vice  resort  are,  like 
shops,  fixed  places  for  the  carrying  on  of  prostitution  as 
a  trade.  There  is,  besides,  an  enormous  amount  of 
itinerant  prostitution  utilizing  mainly  disorderly  hotels. 
These  places  are  commonly  called  "  Raines  Law  "  hotels. 

The  history  of  the  creation  of  the  "  Raines  Law " 
hotels  in  New  York  City  is  exceedingly  interesting.     The 

"  X  147.  12  X  164.  13  X  182. 

33 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

primary  object  of  the  framer  of  the  law  was  to  minimize 
the  evils  connected  with  saloons.  As  pointed  out  in  the 
report  of  The  Research  Committee  of  The  Committee  of 
Fourteen,  issued  in  1910  under  the  title  of  "  The  Social 
Evil  in  New  York  City,  a  Study  of  Law  Enforcement,"  ^* 

"  from  the  passage  of  this  law  dates  the  immediate  growth 
of  one  of  the  most  insidious  forms  of  the  Social  Evil.  This 
growth  was  due  to  a  heavy  increase  in  the  penalties  for 
a  violation  and  the  expected  increased  enforcement  of  the 
law  by  state  authorities  beyond  the  reach  of  local  influences. 
To  illustrate,  the  license  tax  was  raised  from  $200.  to  $800., 
and  the  penalty  of  the  forfeiture  of  a  bond  was  also  added.^^ 
To  escape  these  drastic  penalties  for  the  selling  of  liquor  on 
Sunday  in  saloons,  saloon  keepers  created  hotels  with  the 
required  10  bedrooms,  kitchen  and  dining-room.  The  im- 
mediate increase  was  over  10,000  bedrooms.  There  being 
no  actual  demand  for  such  an  increase  in  hotel  accommoda- 
tions, the  proprietors  in  many  instances  used  them  for  pur- 
poses of  assignation  or  prostitution,  to  meet  the  additional 
expense  incurred.  In  1905  there  were  1407  certificated 
hotels  in  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx,  and  of  these  about  1150 
were  probably  liquor  law  hotels.  In  1906  an  important  ad- 
ministrative provision  was  added  to  the  law.  This  amend- 
ment, known  as  the  Prentice  Act,  provided  that  hotels  must 
be  inspected  and  passed  by  the  Building  Department  as  com- 
plying with  the  provisions  of  the  law,  before  a  certificate 
could  be  issued  to  them.  As  a  result  of  this  new  legislation, 
540  alleged  hotels  were  discontinued  in  Manhattan  and  the 

"New  York,  A.  H.  Kellogg  Co.   (1910),  p.  38. 

^^  This  $800  fee  was  imposed  in  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  and  was 
the  rate  established  by  the  Raines  Law  at  the  time  of  its  passage. 
The  rate  of  $200  was  the  tax  for  saloons  prior  to  the  passage  of  the 
Raines  Law. 

34 


Vice  Resorts 

Bronx.     A  large  number  of  these  places,  however,  con- 
tinued under  saloon  licenses." 

Since  that  time  the  fight  against  these  vicious  hotels 
on  the  part  of  the  Committee  of  Fourteen  has  been  con- 
stant and  effectual.  As  a  result,  the  business  of  prostitu- 
tion as  formerly  carried  on  in  them  has  been  well-nigh 
suppressed.  Very  few  of  the  hotels  found  to  be  used 
for  "  assignation  "  and  "  disorderly  "  purposes  during 
the  present  investigation  are  ten-room  establishments. 
In  191 2,  400  of  the  425  ten-room  hotels  which  now  exist 
were  conducted  as  hotels  for  men  only.^^ 

A  disorderly  hotel,  as  we  use  the  term,  is  one  which 
violates  Section  1146  of  the  Penal  Law  (keeping  a  dis- 
orderly house)  by  admitting  the  same  woman  twice  in 
one  night  with  two  different  men,  or  by  renting  the  same 
room  twice  in  one  night  to  two  different  couples,  or  by 
regularly  admitting  known  and  habitual  prostitutes.  An 
assignation  hotel  is  one  doing  business  with  transient 
couples,  the  women  not  necessarily  being  habitual  prosti- 
tutes. 

According  to  the  official  records,  there  were  558  hotels 
in  Manhattan  in  19 12  which  were  certificated  under  the 
Liquor  Tax  Law.  This  number  includes  the  legitimate 
commercial  hotels  as  well  as  those  which  were  the  out- 
growth of  the  Liquor  Law.  During  the  period  of  this 
investigation  in  19 12,  103  hotels  were  found  which  are 
classed  as  being  assignation  places,  disorderly,  or  suspi- 
cious. Evidence  was  discovered  which  proved  that  habit- 
ual prostitutes  were  openly  soliciting  men  on  the  street 

1®  Report  of  The  Committee  of  Fourteen,  1912. 

35 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

and  elsewhere  to  go  to  65  of  these  hotels  for  immoral 
purposes.  A  woman  investigator  discovered  25  addi- 
tional hotels  where  prostitutes  declared  they  could  freely 
take  customers  or  have  them  openly  visit  their  apartments 
or  rooms.  This  gives  a  total  of  90  different  hotels  in 
Manhattan  which  may  be  classified  as  "  disorderly."  In 
addition  to  these,  seven  different  hotels  were  discovered 
which  prostitutes  claimed  to  be  able  to  use  for  immoral 
purposes,  though  admitting  that  they  had  to  be  careful 
not  to  frequent  them  too  often.  In  some  of  these  places 
prostitutes  are  not  allowed  to  use  a  room  more  than  twice 
during  every  twenty-four  hours,  once  during  the  day  and 
again  at  night.  There  are  six  very  high-class  hotels 
which  prostitutes  asserted  to  a  woman  investigator  they 
had  used,  or  could  use,  under  certain  conditions.  It  is 
no  uncommon  thing  for  the  more  prosperous  and  well- 
dressed  prostitutes  to  solicit  trade  in  the  lobbies  of  these 
hotels. 

The  hotels  above  referred  to  are  situated  in  the  follow- 
ing sections  of  Manhattan:  Sixth  Avenue  from  West 
23rd  Street  to  West  46th  Street;  Eighth  Avenue  from 
West  ii6th  to  West  125th  Streets;  the  side  streets  be- 
tween Broadway  and  Sixth  Avenue  from  West  34th  to 
West  53rd  Street;  Lexington,  Third,  and  Fourth  Ave- 
nues, and  Irving  Place.  The  centers  where  soliciting 
for  these  hotels  is  most  flagrant  are  as  follows :  East 
14th  Street  and  Third  Avenue,  and  north  on  Lexing- 
ton Avenue;  Sixth  Avenue  and  West  28th  Street; 
Seventh  Avenue  and  West  35th  Street ;  Longacre  Square 
to  the  east;  Columbus  Avenue  from  West  60th  to  West 

36 


Vice  Resorts 

62nd  Street;  Eighth  Avenue  from  West  11 6th  to  West 
125th  Streets. 

Of  these  resorts  many  are  weather-beaten  buildings, 
dirty  and  unsightly  without,  unsanitary  and  filthy  within. 
The  small  rooms  are  separated  by  thin  partitions  through 
which  even  conversations  in  low  tones  can  be  heard.  The 
furniture  is  cheap  and  worn  with  constant  use.  A  dilap- 
idated bureau  or  dresser  occupies  one  corner;  a  rickety 
wash-stand  equipped  with  dirty  wash  bowl  and  pitcher 
stands  in  another.  Cheap  chromos  hang  on  the  wall, 
dingy  with  age.  A  small,  soiled  rug  partly  covers  the 
floor  which  is  seldom,  if  ever,  scrubbed  with  soap  and 
water.  The  air  is  foul  and  heavy  with  unpleasant  odors, 
for  the  windows  are  rarely  opened.  The  awnings  that 
shut  out  the  light  are  seldom  lifted;  they  are  sign-posts  to 
the  initiated,  hanging  mute  and  weather-beaten  all  the 
year  round. 

During  the  fall  of  1907  a  large  number  of  parlor 
houses  in  the  Tenderloin  were  raided  and  closed  through 
the  combined  efforts  of  the  Police  Commissioner  and  the 
District  Attorney's  office.  Some  of  these  houses  had 
been  operated  by  men  who  subsequently  transferred  their 
activities  to  "  hotels,"  where  they  continued  to  practise 
their  former  methods.  Others  took  their  women  with 
them,  lodging  them  in  the  "  hotels,"  paying  them  certain 
commissions,  and  treating  them  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  house.  A  group  of  women  thus  attached  to  a 
"  hotel  "  solicit  for  it  on  the  street  or  in  the  rear  rooms  of 
saloons. 

Between  the  proprietors  of  these  "  hotels "  there  is 

37 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

great  business  rivalry.  They  constantly  try  to  induce 
prostitutes  attached  to  other  resorts  to  patronize  their 
place  of  business  and  become  "  regulars."  They  even 
go  so  far  as  to  hire  young  men  to  make  friends  with  the 
women  and  to  offer  them  large  commissions  and  better 
protection  than  they  can  secure  elsewhere.  At  times, 
saloon  keepers  who  allow  prostitutes  to  solicit  in  their  rear 
rooms  do  so  on  condition  that  the  women  take  customers 
secured  in  their  places  of  business  to  friendly  hotels. 
For  instance,  the  owner  of  a  notorious  saloon  in  East 
14th  Street  demands  that  the  women  in  his  rear  room 
take  their  customers  to  a  certain  hotel  on  Third  Avenue. 
If  one  should  break  the  compact  and  go  to  a  rival  place, 
she  would  be  thereafter  debarred,  as  if  she  had  violated  a 
code  of  honor. 

Most  of  the  solicitation  for  "  hotels  "  is  nowadays  done 
on  the  street.  Even  here  the  proprietor  attempts  to  keep 
his  women  in  jine.  He  sets  spies  at  work  to  see  that  they 
take  the  trade  where  it  belongs.  The  young  men  so  em- 
ployed are  often  the  "  pimps  "  of  the  street  walkers,  keen 
to  see  that  their  women  do  not  "  get  away  with  any 
money  "  by  going  to  a  strange  hotel,  from  which  they 
cannot  collect  the  commission.  A  young  man  of  this 
character  stations  himself  near  the  entrance  of  a  certain 
hotel  on  the  Bowery  and,  as  his  woman  enters  with  a  cus- 
tomer, carefully  takes  a  pin  from  the  right  lapel  of  his 
coat  and  puts  it  on  the  left  lapel.  Woe  to  the  woman  if 
she  fails  to  produce  the  money  represented  by  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  pins  in  the  left  lapel,  when  the  business  of 
the  night  is  over ! 

When  the  street  walkers  of  certain  hotels  are  arrested, 

38 


Vice  Resorts 

the  proprietor  hastens  to  court  to  pay  the  fines,  should 
such  be  imposed,  or  offer  bail  so  that  the  girls  may  return 
to  their  "  duties."  In  some  cases  he  insists  on  repayment 
of  the  money  he  has  advanced ;  and  the  girl  is  grateful  be- 
cause he  has  saved  her  from  the  Island.  If  a  girl 
"  breaks  away  "  from  a  hotel  and  goes  to  a  rival  place  of 
business  the  proprietor  will  go  so  far  as  to  have  her  ar- 
rested again  and  again  to  teach  her  the  lesson  of  "  loyalty." 
In  some  cases  she  is  glad  to  return  to  his  good  graces, 
especially  if  she  finds  herself  on  the  Island. 

There  are  many  street  walkers  who  are  "  free  lances," 
taking  their  trade  to  the  hotel  which  offers  the  best  in- 
ducements. They  realize  that  they  are  adrift  —  with  no 
one  but  their  "  pimp  "  to  protect  them.  And  "  pimps  " 
are  usually  admirable  protectors,  masters  of  the  art  of 
"  saving  "  their  women  from  the  hand  of  the  law.  They 
are  keen,  wise  young  men,  well  grounded  in  the  business 
of  exploiting  the  girls  of  the  street  at  the  least  possible  ex- 
pense. Some  of  them  are  known  as  "  gun  men,"  "  strong 
arm  guys,"  "  guerillas,"  and  do  effective  work  for  poli- 
ticians. 

The  prostitutes  who  are  attached  to  certain  hotels,  as 
well  as  those  who  go  from  place  to  place  with  their  trade 
are  often  given  "  rebates  "  or  "  commissions  "  on  all  the 
business  they  bring  in.  The  rebate  system  was  found  to 
exist  in  21  of  the  65  hotels  to  which  investigators  were 
solicited  to  go  for  immoral  purposes.  If  a  customer 
pays  $2.00  for  a  room,  the  prostitute  receives  $1.00  as  a 
rebate.  If,  when  in  the  room,  he  orders  wine  or  beer,  the 
girl  receives  another  rebate  or  commission  on  the  amount 
of  the  bill.     Sometimes   it  is  ten  per  cent,   sometimes 

39 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

twenty-five  per  cent:  this,  in  addition  to  her  own  price, 
which  varies  from  $i.oo  to  $5.00,  or  as  much  as  she  is 
able  to  persuade  the  customer  to  give  her.  Many  hotels 
have  rebate  clerks  whose  duty  it  is  to  keep  the  accounts  of 
the  girls  and  pay  them  the  commissions  due  them.  This 
is  a  very  important  branch  of  the  business;  for  if  the 
solicitor  is  satisfied  and  is  making  "  good  money,"  she 
feels  like  continuing  her  patronage  and  "  hustling  "  all 
the  harder  for  her  hotel. 

Some  of  the  disorderly  hotels  have  two  registration 
books,  one  of  which  is  used  for  entering  single  visits  dur- 
ing a  period  of  twenty- four  hours,  the  other  to  register 
the  number  of  times  different  rooms  are  used  during  the 
same  period.  The  first  book  is  the  one  displayed  to  in- 
quisitive investigators  or  inspectors.  In  some  resorts 
there  is  a  regular  office,  as  in  a  legitimate  hotel,  where 
couples  register  at  the  desk ;  in  others,  a  small  window  is 
all  that  can  be  seen.  The  clerk  pushes  the  book  through 
the  opening  and  the  man  registers,  often  without  seeing 
the  clerk's  face.  The  woman  is  not  seen  by  the  clerk  at 
all,  as  she  stands  in  the  shadow  away  from  the  window. 

Disorderly  hotels  offer  a  comparatively  safe  place  in 
which  to  commit  crimes  of  one  kind  or  another.  A  well- 
known  hotel  referred  to  on  another  page  has  been  the 
scene  of  murder.  But  the  chief  crime  is  stealing.  The 
most  successful  prostitutes  who  solicit  for  these  hotels 
are  "  gun  mols,"  that  is,  pickpockets.  They  use  all  man- 
ner of  subterfuges  to  "  lift  "  the  "  roll  "  from  the  pockets 
of  their  customers.  When  their  victim  is  heavy  and 
sleepy  from  drink,  they  usually  succeed,  getting  away  be- 
fore he  realizes  his  loss. 

40 


Vice  Resorts 

But  the  hotel  is  utilized  not  only  by  the  criminal  prosti- 
tute: it  is  too  often  the  scene  of  first  seduction.  A 
young,  weak,  and  foolish  girl  is  induced  to  dine,  then  to 
drink,  with  a  comparative  stranger  who  has  first  taken 
pains  to  ingratiate  himself  with  her:  without  recollection 
of  what  has  taken  place  in  the  interval,  she  awakens  next 
morning  amid  the  totally  strange  surroundings  of  a  hotel 
of  this  character. 

A  brief  description  of  a  typical  assignation  and  dis- 
orderly hotel  will  illustrate  some  of  the  general  observa- 
tions above  made: 

A  Third  Avenue  hotel  "  has  had  an  interesting  and 
varied  history.  The  ground  is  owned  by  citizens  who 
are  well  known  in  social  and  financial  circles.  The 
name  of  the  place  has  been  changed  since  1906-7, 
but  the  same  proprietor  conducts  the  establishment.  Once 
he  ran  a  house  in  the  old  Eldridge  precinct,  later  another 
in  East  9th  Street.  When  these  places  were  suppressed, 
he  opened  the  hotel  here  in  question.  He  and  his  man- 
ager *^  were  both  members  of  the  Independent  Be- 
nevolent Association  in  1909.  For  some  years  this 
hotel  has  been  on  the  Police  List  as  under  *'  strict  sur- 
veillance " ;  now  and  then  it  has  been  raided.  As  far  back 
as  1906  one  of  the  agents  of  an  investigation  then  in 
progress  was  told  by  a  prostitute  that  detectives  had  in- 
formed the  girls  that  if  they  resorted  to  this  hotel  they 
would  not  be  molested;  whether  this  is  true  or  not,  the 
fact  remains  that  the  hotel  was  still  doing  business  during 
the  period  of  this  investigation. 

On  January  26,  19 12,  an  investigator  was  solicited  in 

"  X  207.  18  X  208. 

41 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

the  rear  room  of  a  notorious  saloon  on  East  14th  Street 
by  "  Pearl,"  who  said  she  would  have  to  take  him  to  the 
hotel  in  question.  Knowing  the  history  of  the  resort,  he 
accompanied  the  girl  to  the  sitting-room  in  order  to  see  if 
conditions  were  still  the  same ;  while  there  he  talked  with 
two  other  girls  who  are  attached  to  the  place.  Thus  he 
ascertained  that  the  proprietor  has  two  relays  of  solici- 
tors, one  group  on  the  street  from  early  morning  until 
night,  the  other  group  on  duty  all  night.  To  see  that 
they  attend  strictly  to  business,  a  young  man  is  employed 
to  watch  them  at  their  work.  If  the  girls  enter  into  a  dis- 
pute with  customers  over  terms,  the  assistant  endeavors  to 
straighten  out  the  difficulty.  If  they  are  arrested,  he  in- 
forms his  employer,  who,  in  turn,  goes  to  the  court  and 
does  what  he  can  to  secure  their  release.  Mamie  and 
Mary  both  stated  that  the  rebate  clerk  gives  them  all 
amounts  over  $1.00  which  their  customers  pay  for  rooms. 
In  case  customers  buy  wine  at  $5.00  per  bottle,  the  girls 
receive  $2.(X)  per  bottle  as  a  commission. ^^ 

(3)       FURNISHED    ROOM     HOUSES 

In  addition  to  the  more  elaborate  establishments  already 
described,  furnished  rooms  frequently  serve  their  occu- 
pants as  vice  resorts.  During  the  period  of  this  investi- 
gation 112'  furnished  room  assignation  houses  were  dis- 
covered. The  majority  of  these  are  within  the  following 
boundaries :    First  Avenue,  Houston  Street,  the  Bowery, 

1^  As  to  this  and  other  hotels,  repeated  observation  at  different 
periods  established  the  notorious  character  of  the  places.  Corrob- 
orative evidence  is  collected  in  Appendix  XI,  "  Additional  Data, 
Hotels." 

42 


Vice  Resorts 

and  Avenue  B ;  Second  Avenue,  27th  Street,  Seventh  Ave- 
nue, 31st  Street;  33rd  Street,  Seventh  Avenue,  42nd 
Street;  Third  Avenue,  27th  Street,  Seventh  Avenue,  31st 
Street;  Eighth  Avenue,  33rd  Street;  Seventh  Avenue, 
42nd  Street.  The  places  are  particularly  dangerous  be- 
cause a  stranger,  seeking  inexpensive  board  and  lodging, 
has  no  way  to  ascertain  their  character :  an  innocent  girl 
may  thus  unwittingly  find  herself  in  the  most  demoraliz- 
ing surroundings*. 

Prostitutes  do  not  necessarily  live  in  the  furnished 
room  house.  They  may  simply  have  an  understanding 
with  the  madame,  who,  in  reality,  conducts  an  assignation 
house  run  on  the  same  principle  as  a  hotel,  but  without 
register  or  clerk.  The  price  of  the  room  is  determined  by 
the  "  privileges  "  for  which  the  girl  stipulates,  —  usually 
to  the  effect  that,  though  not  resident,  she  may  bring 
'*  friends  "  there  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night.  In 
some  houses  the  prostitute  pays  $2,00  per  night;  else- 
where the  landlady  demands  as  much  as  $3.00  per  night, 
or  half  of  what  the  prostitute  earns.  In  this  way  a 
large  weekly  rental  is  secured  for  very  inferior  quarters. 
Once  possessing  such  a  room  with  "  privileges,"  the  pros- 
titute solicits  or  picks  up  customers  on  the  street,  and  in 
public  places  of  all  sorts,  such  as  dance  halls,  restaurants, 
and  the  rear  rooms  of  saloons. 

The  women  who  use  the  furnished  room  houses  are 
divided  into  three  classes.  The  first  are  the  occasional 
or  clandestine  prostitutes,  to  whom  the  furnished  room 
offers  a  more  secret  place  than  the  hotel  for  both  the 
woman  and  the  man.  The  second  are  regular  prostitutes 
who  use  hotel  and  room  alternately.     They  prefer  to 

43 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

go  to  the  hotel,  as  they  declare  it  is  safer.  "  We  are  pro- 
tected in  the  hotel,"  they  say;  *'  the  proprietor  knows  us 
and  you  won't  be  molested."  But  customers  who  object 
to  hotels  are  taken  to  her  furnished  room  if  the  girl  is  not 
suspicious.  The  third  class,  who  use  the  furnished 
rooms  almost  exclusively,  are  women  who  are  nearing  the 
end  of  their  vogue  as  professional  prostitutes.  Rejected 
by  hotels  because  they  are  dirty,  diseased,  or  in  the  last 
stages  of  drug  and  liquor  habits,  these  outcasts  from  the 
prosperous  marts  of  trade  escort  their  prey  to  their  own 
miserable  quarters. 

A  few  illustrations  of  the  manner  in  which  the  fur- 
nished room  trade  works  will  suffice : 

A  house  of  this  character  in  West  31st  Street  ^^  is  one 
of  the  most  notorious  in  the  city.  Late  at  night,  August 
23rd,  1912,  it  was  entered  by  a  large  number  of  couples 
from  a  dance  hall  near  by;  subsequently,  one  of  the  men, 
about  forty-five  years  of  age,  complained  to  the  investiga- 
tor that  he  had  been  robbed  there  that  night.  Four  even- 
ings later,  eight  different  prostitutes  entered  with  their 
customers  in  the  course  of  less  than  five  minutes.  Shortly 
after,  a  colored  maid  from  the  house  applied  to  a  saloon 
near  by  to  change  two  five-dollar  bills.  During  the  con- 
versation she  told  the  bartender,  from  whom  she  fre- 
quently bought  liquor  for  the  guests,  that  the  rooms  in 
the  house  were  nearly  all  taken. 

At  II  p.  M.  on  March  19,  1912,  several  prostitutes  were 
soliciting  on  Third  and  Lexington  Avenues  for  a  fur- 
nished room  house  in  East  i  i6th  Street. ^^  They  each  pay 
the  landlord  $2.00  per  night  for  room  and  **  privileges." 

20  X  253.  21 X  261. 

44 


Vice  Resorts 

One  of  these  women  appeared  to  be  about  twenty-one 
years  of  age.  "  I  pay  $2.00  per  night  for  my  room,"  she 
said,  "  and  bring  in  as  many  men  as  I  can  grab.  When- 
ever I  am  ready  to  quit  for  the  night  I  meet  my  *  fellow  ' 
and  we  go  there  to  sleep." 

A  furnished  room  house  in  West  40th  Street  ^^  is  sur- 
rounded by  tenements  in  which  many  white  and  colored 
families  are  living.  On  February  9,  191 2,  two  colored 
women  stood  in  the  doorway,  soliciting  men  as  they 
passed  by.  As  the  investigator  approached,  two  white 
children  about  ten  and  twelve  years  of  age  respectively, 
stood  a  few  feet  away  listening  to  what  was  said. 

(4)       MASSAGE  PARLORS 

The  massage  parlor,  so-called,  is  the  last  of  the  resorts 
to  be  dealt  with.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  over  300 
so-called  massage  parlors  in  Manhattan,  a  large  part  of 
which  are  believed  to  be  vice  resorts:  only  75,  however, 
were  actually  investigated  in  the  course  of  this  study  and 
this  is  the  number  used  in  calculating  the  number  of  vice 
resorts  in  Manhattan. 

Our  investigation  was  thus  restricted  because  of  the 
peculiar  difficulties  involved  in  ascertaining  the  real  char- 
acter of  many  of  these  establishments.  Some  are  trans- 
parent enough :  others  can  be  uncovered  only  by  a  cus- 
tomer. Our  workers  were  instructed  that  it  was  not  de- 
sired to  attempt  an  extended  investigation  of  every  place. 
They  were  told  to  learn  the  nature  of  the  massage  given, 
the  equipment,  prices,  the  bearing,  attire,  and  general  be- 

22  X  262. 

45 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

havior  of  the  operatives.  On  the  basis  of  these  data  they 
were  to  form  an  estimate  as  to  whether  or  not  conditions 
were  suspicious.  From  eariier  investigations  and  re- 
ports it  was  already  believed  that  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten 
the  practices  in  these  places  are  immoral  and  degrading 
to  the  last  degree. 

A  large  number  of  massage  parlors  are  located  on  the 
upper  floors  of  buildings  on  Sixth  and  Columbus  Avenues 
and  on  the  side  streets  from  West  23rd  Street  to  West 
80th  Street.  They  are  indicated  by  means  of  large  signs 
displayed  in  the  windows  or  tacked  on  the  doors.  These 
places  also  advertise  in  a  weekly  paper  published  on  Sat- 
urdays and  offered  for  sale  at  five  cents  per  copy  on 
news-stands  in  hotels  and  other  public  places. 

The  rooms  are  usually  equipped  with  high  couches, 
bureaus  displaying  comb,  brush,  alcohol,  and  powder, 
and  with  wash  stands.  A  manicure  table  is  often 
placed  by  the  window, —  on  it  a  set  of  instruments 
used  in  caring  for  the  nails.  In  these  places  the  opera- 
tors insist  that  they  give  straight  massage  and  that  they 
do  not  conduct  an  immoral  business.  In  other  parlors, 
the  sign  on  the  window  or  door  is  the  only  evidence 
that  such  treatment  is  given.  These  are  openly  dis- 
orderly, no  apparent  effort  being  made  to  conceal  the 
fact.  The  prices  charged  range  from  two  dollars  to 
five  dollars,  according  to  the  service  demanded. 

Not  a  few  former  madames  of  houses  of  prostitu- 
tion have  established  vice  resorts  under  the  guise  of 
massage  parlors  for  the  purpose  of  continuing  in  busi- 
ness after  their  houses  were  closed  by  action  of  the 
law.     Into  these  resorts  they  bring  their  former  inmates, 

46 


Vice  Resorts 

who  now  pose  as  experts  in  the  art  of  scientific  massage. 
In  the  matter  of  securing  new  girls,  the  keeper  of  a 
massage  parlor  has  a  great  advantage;  for  she  openly 
advertises  in  the  daily  papers  for  girls  to  learn  the  "  busi- 
ness of  massage,"  or  for  those  who  have  had  experience 
in  this  or  that  method  of  massage  as  practiced  in  foreign 
lands.  The  advertisements  state  the  age  of  the  girl 
wanted  and  the  weekly  salary.  As  a  result,  many  un- 
suspecting girls,  answering  advertisements,  come  into 
personal  contact  with  well-dressed  and  apparently  respect- 
able proprietors.  If  the  girl  appears  to  be  weak  and 
easily  led,  the  keeper  begins  by  asking  her  how  much 
money  she  has  been  in  the  habit  of  making  each  week; 
then  remarks  smilingly  that  some  of  her  former  oper- 
atives have  made  four  or  five  times  as  much  by  not 
**  being  too  particular."  She  describes  in  a  general  way 
what  she  means  by  "  too  particular."  "  Her  customers," 
she  says,  "are  often  very  rich  and  generous;  if  a  girl 
is  attentive  and  jolly,  these  men  will  give  her  generous 
prices  and  tips,  and  thus  she  can  *  coin '  money." 

It  is  only  just  to  say  that  not  all  massage  parlors  are 
of  the  type  described  above.  Some  are  legitimate  and 
render  scientific  service  to  men  and  women  who  are 
actually  ill.  If  the  proprietors  of  such  places  would 
escape  the  general  condemnation  of  their  business,  they 
should  voluntarily  seek  the  endorsement  of  respectable 
physicians  and  engage  operatives  who  have  bona  Ude 
certificates  showing  that  they  have  spent  a  certain  period 
of  time  in  recognized  institutions  in  preparation  for  their 
calling. 

A  few  examples  only  need  be  given : 

47 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Margaret,^^  proprietress  of  a  massage  parlor  on  Sixth 
Avenue,^^  spent  the  evening  of  May  lo,  1912,  at  a  cafe 
in  West  45th  Street.^^  She  admitted  that  business  had 
latterly  not  been  brisk:  it  had  become  difficult  to  get 
suitable  operatives.  The  men  who  were  procuring  girls 
for  her  were  becoming  afraid  to  go  after  "  young  girls  " 
and  she  did  not  want  any  "  old  ones."  "  Some  fools," 
she  said,  "  are  writing  stories  about  young  girls  being 
sold  into  slavery  and  even  country  girls  are  getting  wise 
and  think  the  men  are  going  to  put  them  into  prison 
instead  of  giving  them  a  chance  to  make  a  little  money 
for  themselves.  That  sort  of  thing  only  happens  in 
the  lower  class  of  places.  I  have  a  nice  business  and 
nice  men  and  I  give  the  girl  one  dollar  out  of  every 
two  and  three,  and  two  dollars  out  of  five,  and  half  of 
anything  over  that.  I  had  two  girls;  but  one  left  me 
the  other  night  because  I  would  not  let  her  take  '  dope.' 
There  comes  a  time  with  these  *  dope  fiends  '  when  it 
interferes  with  business  and  they  have  to  cut  it  out." 

By  way  of  inducement,  Margaret  invited  the  investi- 
gator, who  was  a  woman,  to  work  in  her  massage  parlor 
the  following  Saturday  and  Sunday,  offering  to  allow 
her  to  keep  all  she  made :  she  "  had  to  have  an  operative 
to  help  take  care  of  her  regular  Saturday  and  Sunday 
customers  " ;  by  the  following  week  she  felt  sure  that 
her  procurer  would  have  a  girl  for  her.  The  investigator 
called  at  the  parlor  early  the  following  week  to  ascertain 
what  had  happened.  She  found  that  the  house  had 
been  sold  and  that  the  new  landlord  had  raised  the  rent 
for  the  "  parlor  "  occupied  by  Margaret  from  $60  to  $75 

23X246.  2^X248.  2»X247. 

48 


Vice  Resorts 

per  month.  Thereupon  Margaret  had  moved  out,  going 
to  the  beach  to  open  a  temporary  house  for  the  summer. 

Massage  parlors  are  not  uncommonly  found  in  tene- 
ments,—  there  is  one,  for  instance,  in  such  a  building  in 
West  47th  Street.^®  Two  operatives  were  employed  there 
with  a  madame^''  in  April,  19 12.  Different  resorts  in 
this  tenement  have  been  reported  to  the  Tenement  House 
Department  several  times  by  the  police,  and  arrests 
have  been  made  here  as  far  back  as  1909. 

A  former  member  of  the  Chicago  Vice  Commission 
was  in  New  York  City  in  April.  His  experience 
in  studying  conditions  in  the  former  city  had  made  him 
watchful  and  suspicious.  One  day  he  noticed  a  number 
of  working  girls,  young,  and  foreign  in  type,  climbing 
the  stairs  of  a  building  in  West  43rd  Street.^®  As  the 
girls  came  down  some  appeared  to  be  disappointed,  as 
though  they  had  not  been  successful  in  their  errand, 
whatever  it  might  be.  His  interest  was  aroused.  Ob- 
serving a  massage  sign  on  the  second  floor,  he  concluded 
that  the  girls  had  been  answering  an  advertisement  to 
call  at  this  place  of  business.  An  investigation  thus 
started  resulted  in  securing  the  following  facts : 

On  April  3,  1912,  a  morning  newspaper  contained  the 
following  advertisement  under  the  classification  of  "  Help 
Wanted — Female."    "  Girl  for  light  housework,  not  under 

18 ;  $7  to  $9  a  week.    Mrs.^^ , West  43rd  Street, 

2  flights  up," 

Later  in  the  day  a  young  woman  investigator  was  sent 
to  the  address  with  a  copy  of  the  advertisement.     She  was 

2«X2So-a.  27x250.  28X251.  29x251-3. 

49 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

greeted  at  the  door  by  the  woman,  who  soon  disclosed  the 
character  of  the  place.  In  reply  to  the  inquiries  of  the 
investigator,  she  explained  the  nature  of  the  business:  her 
customers  paid  from  two  to  ten  dollars,  the  girls  receiving 
approximately  one-half.  An  inmate  had  earned  $48  in  a 
week:  but  a  girl's  usefulness  is  brief,  for  frequent  changes 
are  necessary  in  order  to  retain  the  trade. 

On  the  same  date  a  morning  paper  published  in  the  Ger- 
man language  printed  the  following  advertisement  under 
the  classification, "  Verla/ngt  Weiblich"  **  "  Girl,  neat,  Ger- 
man, not  under  18  years  of  age.  One  who  knows  how  to 
massage  or  one  who  is  willing  to  learn.     Wages  paid  while 

learning.     Inquire  Mrs.^^ , West  43rd  Street,  two 

flights  up."    This  is  the  massage  parlor  described  above. 

On  April  9,  1912,  the  same  investigator  received  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  the  proprietor  of  the  parlor: 

"Dear  Mrs. : 


"  If  you  have  not  taken  any  position  yet,  would  you 
kindly  call  on  me? 

"  Respectfully, 

(Signed)  " ." 

A  week  later  the  investigator  called  again,  finding  the 
establishment  still  in  operation,  with  a  new  assistant,  pro- 
cured through  the  landlord.  With  a  little  prodding,  the 
garrulous  madame  resumed  her  confidences,  explaining  the 
process  of  "  fixing  up  "  girls  so  as  to  appear  young,  and 
other  details  of  her  nefarious  occupation. 

In  the  foregoing  pages  we  have  circumstantially 
described  the  mere  prominent  forms  taken  by  vice  in 
New  York  City.     It  is  surely  no  exaggeration  to  main- 

»o  Wanted  —  Female.  si  x  2Si-b. 

50 


Vice  Resorts 

tain  that  the  evidence  submitted  proves  that  prostitution 
in  New  York  City  is  widely  and  openly  exploited  as  a 
business  enterprise.^^  The  exploiters,  the  scenes  of  their 
operations,  their  methods,  their  associations,  and  their 
victims  are  all  equally  notorious.  It  is  idle  to  explain 
away  the  phenomena  on  the  ground  that  they  are  the 
results  of  the  inevitable  weakness  of  human  nature: 
human  weakness  would  demand  far  fewer  and  less  hor- 
rible sacrifices.  Most  of  the  wreckage,  and  the  worst 
of  it,  is  due  to  persistent,  cunning  and  unprincipled  ex- 
ploitation: to  the  banding  together  in  infamous  enter- 
prises of  madame,  pimp,  procurer,  brothel-keeper,  and 
liquor  vender  to  deliberately  carry  on  a  cold-blooded 
traffic  for  their  joint  profit, —  a  traffic,  be  it  added,  from 
which  the  girl  involved  procures  at  the  most,  with  few 
exceptions,  her  bare  subsistence,  and  that,  only  so  long 
as  she  has  a  trade  value. 

82  For  a  statistical  summary  of  vice  resorts,  see  Appendix  I. 


51 


CHAPTER  III 

PLACES   WHICH   CATER   TO   VICE 

Places  which  cater  to  vice  are  divided  into  two  groups. 
The  first  group,  catering  directly  to  vice,  includes  saloons 
and  their  accessories,  such  as  concert  halls  and  cabaret 
shows;  the  second  group,  operating  indirectly,  comprises 
public  dance  balls,  burlesque  theaters,  amusement  parks, 
and  boat  excursions.  The  proprietors  of  these  places  usu- 
ally have  full  knowledge  of  the  demoralizing  influence  of 
their  establishments,  and  deliberately  encourage  such  con- 
ditions for  the  purpose  of  increasing  their  profits.  "  The 
saloons  which  cater  to  women,"  writes  Professor  Rausch- 
enbusch,  "  the  dance  halls  that  encourage  indecent  dances 
and  supply  long  intermissions  for  the  consumption  of 
liquor ;  pleasure  resorts  and  excursion  steamers,  theaters, 
music  halls,  and  moving  picture  shows  that  use  the  ever 
ready  attractiveness  of  sex  interests  —  are  all  smoothing 
the  downward  road  —  and  they  know  it."  * 

Nevertheless,  it  would  be  unjust  to  condemn  indis- 
criminately all  persons  connected  with  the  places  which 
indirectly  promote  vice.  An  exception  should  be  made 
of  certain  proprietors  of  dance  halls  and  amusement 
parks,  the  commissioners  of  public  parks,  and  some  ex- 
cursion boat  owners. 

1 "  Christianizing  the  Social  Order,"  p.  268. 

52 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

(l)      DISORDERLY   SALOONS,    CONCERT   HALLS,   AND 
CABARET   SHOWS. 

These  places  may  all  be  considered  under  one  heading 
because  they  are  connected  with  saloons :  they  differ  only 
in  the  character  and  grade  of  entertainment  given  in 
them,  this  varying  with  the  ingenuity  of  the  proprietor. 

A  disorderly  saloon  is  one  where  indecent  acts  occur, 
where  indecent  language  is  used  publicly,  where  there 
is  open  solicitation  for  immoral  purposes,  or  to  which 
known  and  habitual  prostitutes  resort.  The  records  in 
the  office  of  the  State  Commissioner  of  Excise  show  that 
up  to  and  including  January  28,  1913,  4,583  liquor  tax  cer- 
tificates were  issued  in  the  Borough  of  Manhattan  under 
Sub-Division  One  of  the  Liquor  Tax  Law.  During  the 
period  of  this  investigation,  i.  e.,  from  January  24,  19 12, 
to  December  15,  1912,  the  rear  rooms  of  765  saloons 
at  separate  addresses  were  investigated.  Unescorted 
women,  who  from  their  actions  and  conversation  were  be- 
lieved to  be  prostitutes,  were  seen  in  308  of  the  765  rear 
rooms  investigated,  and  the  investigators  were  openly 
solicited  by  prostitutes  for  immoral  purposes  in  107  sepa- 
rate rear  rooms.  In  some  of  these  places  white  men  and 
colored  women,  in  others  colored  men  and  white  women, 
mingle  freely. 

The  majority  of  disorderly  saloons  are  situated  on 
Third  Avenue  and  side  streets-  from  East  loth  to  East 
125th  Streets;  on  Sixth  Avenue  and  side  streets  from 
West  22nd  to  West  49th  Streets;  on  Seventh  Avenue 
and  side  streets  from  West  23rd  to  West  52nd  Streets; 
and   on   Eighth   Avenue   and   side   streets   from   West 

53 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

14th  to  West  125th  Streets.  There  are  other  dis- 
orderly saloons  on  the  lower  East  Side,  on  the  Bowery 
and  surrounding  streets,  on  Amsterdam,  Columbus,  and 
Lexington  Avenues. 

Many  of  these  disorderly  saloons  occupy  the  ground 
floor  of  buildings  the  upper  floors  of  which  are  used  as 
assignation  and  disorderly  hotels  under  the  same  manage- 
ment. The  rear  rooms  are  filled  with  small  tables,  where 
customers  are  served  with  drinks  from  the  bar.  Some 
of  the  rooms  are  large  and  clean,  others  small  and  ex- 
ceedingly dirty.  The  ladies'  retiring  rooms  in  the  most 
disorderly  places  are  very  unsanitary.  A  report  on  one 
of  the  rear  rooms  describes  it  as  being  "  long  and 
narrow,  with  a  row  of  tables  down  the  length  of  two  walls 
and  in  the  center.  So  narrow  and  low  and  dirty  is  the 
room  that  it  is  as  if  a  stable  had  been  hastily  emptied 
and  swept  out  and  turned  into  a  temporary  drinking 
booth." 

The  managers  of  these  establishments  are  sometimes 
sober  and  industrious  men.  They  have  been  selected  by 
the  brewers  to  open  saloons  because  of  their  per- 
sonal qualities;  for  they  are  hail  fellows  well  met, 
"  good  mixers,"  who  make  and  hold  friends.  But 
these  qualities  do  not  always  go  hand  in  hand  with  busi- 
ness sagacity.  The  "  good  mixer  "  soon  finds  himself  in 
debt  to  the  brewer  who  set  him  up  in  business.  The 
iron-clad  mortgage  which  the  brewer  holds  on  the  fixtures 
hangs  over  the  saloon  keeper  like  a  menacing  hand.  He 
finds  that  he  cannot  make  any  money  in  the  ordinary 
business  of  selling  liquor  over  the  bar ;  sales  are  increased 
if  women  of  the  street  are  encouraged  to  use  the  rear 

54 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

room  as  a  **  hangout "  where  they  can  enter  unescorted 
to  meet  men.  In  addition,  the  proprietor  finds  that  he 
can  still  further  increase  his  profits  by  renting  rooms 
over  the  saloons  to  the  women  and  their  customers. 
"  We  have  to  evade  the  law  to  make  any  money,"  ^  re- 
marked the  owner  ^  of  a  resort  in  East  ii6th  Street. 

Some  of  the  saloon  keepers,  of  course,  need  no  forcing. 
They  started  out  to  exploit  prostitution  in  connection  with 
the  liquor  business.  Their  business  is  organized  with  that 
in  view.  Prostitutes  are  attached  to  the  rear  room,  as  to 
the  hotels  previously  described,  by  certain  rules  and  cus- 
toms. For  example,  one  woman  is  not  permitted  to 
entice  the  customers  of  another;  the  girl  who  is  unable 
to  hold  her  customer  is  gradually  forced  to  saloons  that 
are  less  exacting.  When  the  prostitute  has  secured  her 
customer,  she  must  in  certain  saloons  order  fancy  drinks. 
This  has  to  be  cleverly  done  so  as  not  to  ofTend.  The 
girl  intimates  that  she  loves  to  drink  wine  because  it 
makes  her  jolly  and  companionable.  If  she  is  personally 
attractive  and  well  dressed,  the  man  does  not  object. 
"  You  know,"  she  murmurs,  "  I  hate  a  cheap  skate  who 
won't  treat  a  girl  like  a  lady."  If  she  is  unsuccessful 
in  persuading  her  customer  to  buy  expensive  drinks, 
the  proprietor  puts  her  out  as  a  poor  "  wine  agent,"  dis- 
charges her  from  his  employ,  as  it  were.  This  is  the 
practice  of  the  manager  of  a  well-known  saloon  in  East 
14th  Street.*     On  the  other  hand,  the  proprietor  pro- 

2  Mr.  Arthur  H.  Gleason  brought  out  this  point  in  two  articles  un- 
der the  title  of  "  The  Saloon  in  New  York,"  published  in  Collier's 
Weekly,  in  the  issues  of  April  25  and  May  2,  1908. 

8  X  263. 

*X264,  X26S. 

55 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

tects  the  successful  prostitute,  just  as  does  the  hotel  keeper, 
previously  mentioned. 

The  giving  of  commissions  to  prostitutes  on  the  sale 
of  drinks  to  their  customers  in  the  rear  rooms  of  saloons 
does  not  appear  to  obtain  as  a  general  practice  in  Man- 
hattan; but  it  is  understood  that  women  do  receive  com- 
missions on  bottled  wine  and  beer  which  customers  order 
when  occupying  with  them  the  rooms  upstairs. 

Efforts  are  frequently  made  to  enliven  the  scene  by 
music  and  singing.  In  the  ordinary  rear  roorn,  with 
cheap  furniture,  flickering  lights,  bad  air,  and  filled  with 
rough  men,  a  sallow- faced  youth,  with  a  cigarette  hang- 
ing out  of  the  corner  of  his  mouth,  sits  at  a  piano  and 
indifferently  bangs  out  popular  airs  in  wild,  discordant 
notes.  This  becomes  a  "  concert  hall "  when  the  pro- 
prietor provides  more  music  and  additional  singers. 
After  a  while  a  cafe  is  established,  where  food  can  be 
obtained  as  well  as  drinks.  The  grade  of  the  enter- 
tainment improves  a  bit  further  and  the  place  is  known 
as  a  cabaret  show,  a  poor  imitation  of  the  legitimate 
cabaret  show  given  in  respectable  restaurants.  Besides 
music,  dancing,  sometimes  of  an  obscene  character,  is 
carried  on  in  the  rear  room.  Dancing  is,  indeed, 
cultivated  for  the  express  purpose  of  stimulating  the 
sale  of  liquor  and  what  goes  with  it.  The  dances  are 
frequented  by  prostitutes,  pimps,  thieves,  and  those  who 
want  to  see  the  "  sights."  Young  and  foolish  girls,  for 
whom  "  social  club "  dances  have  become  common- 
place, are  persuaded  to  visit  these  saloons.  Here  they 
meet  men  whose  sole  object  is  their  subsequent  exploita- 
tion for  pleasure  or  for  money.     Under  this  influence  and 

S6 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

environment  they  drift  all  the  more  rapidly  into  lives  of 
professional  prostitution. 

The  prostitutes  who  frequent  certain  saloons  in  Man- 
hattan combine  their  immoral  business  with  crime,  par- 
ticularly stealing.  They  boldly  seek  out  a  man  who 
appears  to  be  "  green,"  or  under  the  influence  of  liquor, 
and  "  trim  him,"  as  they  say.  The  girls  use  their  pimps, 
or,  what  may  be  nearer  the  truth,  the  pimps  use  their 
girls,  to  carry  out  these  robberies.  A  pimp,  becoming 
acquainted  with  a  stranger,  "  steers  "  him  "  up  against  " 
his  "  gun  mol  "  (a  prostitute  who  is  a  pickpocket),  who 
aids  in  the  "  trimming  "  process.  Sometimes,  if  the  hour 
is  late  and  they  are  in  the  right  place,  the  pimps  and 
their  women  become  so  bold  as  openly  to  go  through  the 
pockets  of  their  victims  and  afterwards  throw  them  into 
the  street.  On  one  such  occasion  the  victim  called  loudly 
for  the  police,  and,  though  an  officer  stood  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street,  his  eyes  were  withheld  and  his  ears 
were  stopped.  The  pimp  laughed  at  the  stranger  and 
told  him  to  "  yell  louder  "  for  all  the  good  it  would  do 
him. 

Of  the  statements  just  made  abundant  confirmation  is 
at  hand : 

A  saloon  in  East  14th  Street,^  one  of  the  landmarks  of 
this  busy  street,  has  been  notorious  for  many  years.  Its 
proprietor  has  a  wide  reputation.  His  home  life,  accord- 
ing to  report,  is  all  that  it  should  be ;  no  one  has  ever  seen 
him  intoxicated.  Big,  jolly,  aggressive,  he  is  the  embodi- 
ment of  hospitality  as  he  stands  at  the  bar,  greeting  those 
who  enter  with  a  kindly  shake  or  a  friendly  nod.     In  the 

6X265. 

57 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

rear  room  of  his  resort  disgraceful  conditions  exist.  At 
one  end  there  is  a  small  platform,  on  which  a  young  man 
sits,  playing  popular  airs  on  a  piano  through  the  long 
hours  of  the  night.  White-faced  waiters,  with  their  hair 
carefully  cut  and  plastered  down,  glide  noiselessly  about 
the  tables.  Carefully  trained  are  these  young  men  in 
keeping  the  glasses  full.  They  work  quickly.  About  the 
tables  sit  equally  well-trained  prostitutes.  A  man  who 
entered  at  6.30  p.  m.,  January  26,  191 2,  and  stayed  until 
8.30  saw  the  waiters  urge  the  men  customers  to  invite 
different  girls  to  their  tables.  Two  of  the  girls  were  not 
engaged.  As  the  rule  of  the  place  forbade  them  to  go 
to  the  table  where  men  were  sitting,  they  enlisted  the 
waiter's  aid.  Gliding  to  the  table  where  three  men  were 
drinking,  he  soon  succeeded  in  having  the  girls  invited  to 
join  the  party.  The  investigator  gained  the  confidence  of 
the  girls  with  whom  he  conversed.  "  A  girl  must  order 
fancy  drinks  here  when  she  is  treated,"  said  one  of  them; 
"  if  she  don't,  the  manager  ^  orders  her  out  and  won't  let 
her  come  in  again."  Pearl,  a  girl  about  twenty  years  of 
age,  solicited  him  to  go  to  a  hotel  "^  not  far  away.  Two 
months  later,  at  about  11  p.  m.,  there  were  more  than 
twenty  prostitutes  and  fifteen  men  in  this  rear  room.  The 
same  conditions  existed  during  the  evening  of  April  8, 
19 12,  when  a  woman  entered  the  rear  room  alone.  She 
walked  to  the  extreme  end  of  the  room  and  saw  eleven 
prostitutes  and  four  men  sitting  at  tables.  If  this  woman 
had  been  a  "  regular,"  that  is,  one  who  frequented  the 
place  night  after  night,  a  waiter  would  have  brought  her, 

«  X  264.  7  X  269. 

58 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

entirely  free,  a  small  glass  of  beer  or  ginger  ale.  She 
learned  on  inquiry  that  if  a  "  regular  "  was  "  arrested  "  the 
manager  would  "  fix  it  up."  Inducements  were  also  of- 
fered in  the  hope  that  she  would  enter  the  service  of  this 
house.  The  "  suckers  "  all  come  down  here,  she  was  told : 
"  We  get  them  before  the  girls  on  Sixth  Avenue  do." 

On  January  20,  19 12,  a  well  known  pimp^  met  his 
woman  in  the  rear  room  of  a  saloon  on  Seventh  Avenue.® 
An  investigator  saw  this  prostitute  give  him  a  ten  dollar 
bill.  The  pimp  upbraided  the  girl  for  not  having  more 
money  and  struck  her  a  heavy  blow  in  the  face. 
She  fell  to  the  floor.  There  was  some  excitement  when 
this  occurred.  The  girl  was  advised  to  have  the  pimp 
arrested,  but  she  refused  to  do  so  although  her  eyes  were 
swollen  and  discolored.  This  same  rear  room  harbors 
other  prostitutes  who  night  after  night  take  their  cus- 
tomers to  a  furnished  room  house  in  West  27th  Street,*® 
where  the  landlord  charges  twenty-five  cents  for  the  use 
of  a  room." 

(2)    MISCELLANEOUS   PLACES 

In  New  York  City  there  are  places  of  a  certain  type 
which  cater  directly  to  vice  in  that  they  are  frequented, 
for  the  most  part,  by  immoral  and  dissolute  persons  who 
not  only  solicit  on  the  premises  for  immoral  purposes, 
but  create  conditions  which  stimulate  the  business  of 
prostitution.  The  proprietors  have  a  guilty  knowledge 
of   the    fact   that   prostitutes   and    their   kind    use    the 

8  X  274.  » X  275.  "  X  276. 

11  For  additional  illustrations  see  Appendix  XII  — "  Additional 
Data — Saloons." 

59 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

premises  as  an  adjunct  to  immoral  trade.  Such  places 
include  restaurants,  pool  rooms,  delicatessen  stores, 
candy  shops,  hair  dressing  and  manicure  parlors,  barber 
shops,  cigar  stores,  palmist  and  clairvoyant  parlors,  livery 
stables,  and  opium  dens.  The  places  in  question  are 
usually  situated  in  the  vicinity  of  vice  resorts.  To  the 
ordinary  observer  their  outward  appearance  is  that  of 
any  respectable  business  establishment.  The  signs  are 
on  the  windows,  goods  are  displayed,  customers  may 
come  and  go,  and  there  is  a  general  air  of  activity.  From 
January  24,  19 12  to  November  15,  19 12,  180  reports 
were  made  in  connection  with  conditions  in  91  such 
miscellaneous  places. 

In  some  of  these  places,  known  as  "  hangouts,"  respect- 
able trade  is  neither  sought  nor  encouraged.  A  stranger 
is  looked  upon  with  a  certain  amount  of  suspicion  and 
treated  as  an  intruder.  If  he  asks  for  a  meal,  he  is  told 
that  the  hour  for  serving  meals  has  passed ;  if  he  desires  to 
purchase  a  package  of  food  from  the  shelves,  he  is  in- 
formed that  the  particular  brand  he  seeks  is  missing. 

The  real  purpose  of  the  place  is  to  afford  a  rendezvous 
where  confidences  may  be  exchanged  and  deals  planned 
—  where  birds  of  a  feather  may  flock  together  and  be  fed 
or  entertained.  It  is  indeed  a  varied  group  that  sit  about 
the  tables  or  lounge  idly  at  the  entrance :  owners  of  houses 
of  prostitution,  madames  and  inmates,  street  walkers, 
pimps,  procurers,  gamblers,  pickpockets,  thieves,  and 
crooks  of  every  shade  and  kind.  Young  boys  of  the 
neighborhood  become  fascinated  with  the  adventurous 
lives  of  the  men  who  frequent  these  places  and  soon  join 
their  ranks. 

60 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

One  of  the  most  important  of  these  establishments  is  a 
delicatessen  store  on  Seventh  Avenue/^  a  notorious  and 
popular  place.  The  little  room  is  crowded  with  things 
to  eat  and  drink.  Small  tables  are  placed  about  the  va- 
cant places  and  at  these  tables  sit  owners  of  houses,  ma- 
dames  and  inmates,  pimps,  runners,  and  lighthouses.  All 
the  forces  for  the  conduct  of  the  business  of  prostitution 
in  parlor  houses  are  here,  scheming,  quarreling,  discussing 
profits,  selling  shares,  securing  women,  and  paying  out 
money  for  favors  received.  If  the  walls  of  this  little 
room  could  speak,  they  would  reveal  many  secrets.  The 
value  of  houses  is  debated,  the  income  from  the  business, 
the  expenses  of  conducting  it,  the  price  of  shares  to-day, 
or  to-morrow,  or  in  the  future,  if  this  or  that  happens. 
Here  is  the  center  of  the  trade  in  certain  types  of  houses, 
—  the  stock  market,  where  members  bid  and  outbid  each 
other  and  quarrel  over  advantage  given  or  taken.  The 
owner  of  this  delicatessen  store,  a  stout  and  rather  hand- 
some man,  moves  about  quietly.  Upstairs,  his  wife, 
hearty  and  ample,  cares  for  his  home  and  his  children. 
Now  and  then  the  children  sit  at  the  tables  with  wonder- 
ing eyes  and  listen.  The  eldest  girl,  about  seventeen, 
dressed  in  white,  talks  earnestly  with  a  handsome  procurer 
or  holds  the  hand  of  a  madame. 

In  some  of  the  places  here  alluded  to  liquor  is  sold 
without  a  license;  in  others,  gambling  is  carried  on. 
Poker,  stuss.  No.  21,  pinochle,  are  played  in  the  rear  be- 
hind closed  doors.  For  instance,  during  the  month  of 
April,  19 1 2,  a  stranger  entered  a  "  coffee  and  cake  hang- 

"  X  108. 

61 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

out  "  in  East  114th  Street.^'  The  usual  crowd  of  pimps, 
crooks,  and  gamblers  sat  about  the  tables  eating  and 
drinking.  A  man  rose  from  a  table  and  walked  to  the 
rear  to  a  little  white  door.  He  tapped  gently;  the  door 
opened  and  closed  behind  him.  As  it  did  so,  the  stranger 
saw  in  an  inner  room  men  seated  about  a  table. 

Elsewhere  a  lucrative  business  in  the  sale  of  drugs  is 
carried  on.  Blanche,  a  street  walker,  crazy  for  morphine 
at  2.30  A.  M.,  on  May  18,  1912,  pleaded  with  a  man  in  a 
restaurant  on  Seventh  Avenue  ^^  to  purchase  some  for 
her.  The  stranger  with  whom  she  was  at  the  time, 
moved  to  pity  at  her  pleading,  furnished  the  money.  A 
bottle  of  morphine  tablets  was  hastily  procured  from  a 
well-known  pharmacy  on  Seventh  Avenue.  Snatching 
the  bottle  from  his  hand,  she  concealed  it  in  her  stock- 
ing, i** 

The  cigar  store,  the  pool  room,  the  coffee  and  cake 
restaurant,  are  the  favorite  resorts  of  the  pimps.  Here 
they  come  to  make  deals  for  their  women,  to  receive  tele- 
phone messages  from  their  girls  on  the  street  or  in 
vice  resorts,  to  plan  "  line  ups "  ^®  when  a  "  young 
chicken  "  is  about  to  be  broken  into  the  business,  and  to 
buy  drugs  for  their  girls  and  themselves.  It  is  common 
knowledge  that  here  gangs  are  formed  and  arrangements 

"  X  295. 
1*  X  296. 

15  X  297. 

18  A  "  line  up  "  is  the  ruin  of  a  girl  who  flirts  with  men  and  ac- 
cepts their  advances  and  immoral  suggestions.  Finally  she  yields 
to  an  invitation  to  visit  a  furnished  room  and  the  word  quickly 
passes  among  the  "  gang."  One  by  one  the  boys  and  men,  perhaps 
only  two  or  three,  perhaps  more,  visit  this  room. 

62 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

for  robberies  or  other  criminal  acts  made ;  here  the  spoils 
are  divided;  guns  are  hidden  when  officers  come  to 
search,  and  men  beaten  who  make  a  "  squeal." 

The  prostitute  herself  frequents  the  hairdrcssing  and 
manicure  parlors,  popular  with  her  for  two  reasons :  first, 
because  here  she  makes  herself  "beautiful"  under  the 
Rands  of  the  proprietor,  and  second,  because  through  the 
operator  she  learns  of  resorts  where  she  may  earn  "  bet- 
ter money."  The  imparting  of  such  information  is  a 
part  of  the  hairdresser's  trade.  She  is  the  fount  of 
knowledge  on  this  subject;  "swell"  madames  patronize 
her  place,  urging  her  to  send  them  attractive  girls.  If 
the  right  girls  do  not  come  in,  she  advertises  in  the  pa- 
pers, using  her  "  parlor  "  as  a  decoy.  Her  husband  —  if 
she  has  one  —  may  be  a  thrifty  man  who  mingles  with  his 
wife's  customers,  selling  them  attractive  hats  or  suits,  and 
other  things,  and  finally  acting  as  their  bail  bondsman  if 
they  are  arrested  and  brought  to  court.  At  least  one 
such  husband  has  grown  wealthy  in  the  business. 

Such  a  hairdressing  and  manicure  parlor,  for  example, 
is  conducted  on  Sixth  Avenue.^''  The  woman  caters  only 
to  prostitutes;  and  part  of  her  business  is  to  find  out  if 
any  of  her  customers  are  dissatisfied  with  their  present 
places  or  if  they  are  not  attached  to  any  resort.  In  either 
event,  she  offers  to  send  them  to  find  a  place  where  they 
can  earn  more  money.  One  day  a  woman  having  her  hair 
shampooed  in.  this  parlor  actually  heard  the  proprietor 
send  girls  to  different  vice  resorts.  She  advertises  in  the 
daily  press  for  help.     For  instance,  on  Saturday,  April 

"By  X298  at  X299. 

63 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

6,  19 1 2,  a  daily  paper  contained  the  following  advertise- 
ment under  "  Female  Help  Wanted  " : 

"  Hairdresser  and  manicure  wanted,  experienced.    Apply 
, Sixth  Avenue."  i« 


Pool  rooms  and  cigar  stores  offer  peculiar  facilities  for 
young  boys  of  the  neighborhood  to  become  acquainted 
with  the  life  of  the  underworld.  Even  before  leaving 
school,  boys  often  frequent  them ;  soon  some  of  them  join 
little  cliques  and  gangs  formed  by  the  criminal  element. 
They  become  pickpockets  or  ordinary  crooks.  If  en- 
dowed by  nature  with  large  muscles  and  an  instinct  for 
fighting,  they  become  preliminary  boxers  and  gradually 
develop  into  the  gang  members  or  political  guerillas  who 
do  such  valiant  service  at  the  polls  on  primary  or  election 
day.  From  the  ranks  of  these  the  pimp  is  developed. 
As  neighborhood  boys  they  have  little  difficulty  in  secur- 
ing girls  who,  like  themselves,  are  adventurous,  or  al- 
ready immoral.  It  therefore  becomes  easy  cither  to  trap 
a  girl  and  ruin  her,  or  to  "  break  in  "  the  already  immoral 
girl  to  a  life  of  professional  prostitution  under  protection. 

It  is  a  strange  fact,  but  it  is  true,  that  prostitutes  often 
select  young  men  whom  they  see  in  front  of  pool  rooms 
and  cigar  stores  and  actually  invite  them  to  become  their 
pimps  and  share  the  proceeds  of  their  business.  A  young 
boy  about  eighteen  years  of  age  was  standing  near  the 
entrance  of  a  pool  room  on  Second  Avenue  one  hot  after- 
noon in  August,  1912,  jauntily  puffing  a  cigarette  as  a 
stranger  passed  with  a  man  who  had  lived  in  the  neighbor- 
hood many  years.     "  See  that  kid?  "  said  the  man.     "  A 

18X298,  X299. 

64 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

young  prostitute  on  the  avenue  has  picked  him  out  for  her 
pimp.  They  grew  up  together  and  both  have  gone  on  the: 
bum.  She  was  '  Hned  up '  about  a  year  ago  by  a  gang 
that  *  hangs  out '  in  a  cigar  store  on  East  14th  Street. 
Since  then  she  has  been  a  regular  prostitute." 

There  is  another  group  of  miscellaneous  places,  differ- 
ent from  those  referred  to  above,  namely,  the  natural 
channels  through  which  the  varied  life  of  a  great  city 
passes.  These  are  freely  used  by  the  prostitute.  Atten- 
tion is  called  to  them  simply  to  emphasize  the  fact  that 
wherever  groups  of  people  meet  for  innocent  pleasure  or 
for  business,  there  the  prostitute  lingers  to  ply  her  trade. 
Such  places  include  subway  and  railway  stations,  hotel 
lobbies,  entrances  to  department  stores,  ferry  slips,  and 
post  office  buildings.  Prostitutes  find  these  crowded 
thoroughfares  excellent  centers  in  which  to  solicit  or  to 
make  "  dates."  Pimps  and  procurers  also  frequent  such 
places  to  "  pick  up  "  adventurous  girls  who  are  alone  or 
in  pairs,  out  for  pleasure  or  excitement.^® 

(3)       THE   STREETS 

The  streets  of  Manhattan  are  openly  used  by  prosti- 
tutes for  soliciting.  During  the  period  of  this  investiga- 
tion, street  walking  has  been  most  conspicuous  in  certain 
localities  which  may  be  roughly  described  as  follows : 

Broadway,  from  West  27th  to  West  68th,  and  the  side 
streets  from  West  26th  to  West  64th ; 

Sixth  Avenue,  from  West  i6th  to  West  45th,  and  the 
side  streets  from  West  25th  to  West  31st; 

i»  For  further  illustrations,  see  Appendix  XIII  — "  Additional 
Data  —  Miscellaneous  Places." 

65 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Seventh  Avenue,  from  West  24th  to  West  42nd; 

Columbus  Avenue,  from  West  59th  to  West  66th ; 

Columbus  and  Eighth  Avenues,  from  West  99th  to 
West  125th; 

Second  Avenue,  from  East  8th  to  9th,  and  between 
East  1 2th  and  East  14th; 

Third  Avenue,  from  East  9th  to  East  28th,  and  from 
East  99th  to  East  137th,  and  the  side  streets  to  Lexington 
Avenue ; 

Irving  Place,  from  East  14th  to  East  15th; 

Houston  Street,  on  the  lower  East  Side  around  Allen 
and  Forsythe  Streets. 

Of  all  these  thoroughfares,  Broadway  is  most  freely 
utilized  for  soliciting.  During  the  nights  of  March  7,  1 1, 
14,  19,  20,  and  21,  1912,  at  the  hours  of  8.30  p.  m.,  9 
P.M.,     10    P.M.,     II     P.M.,     II     to     12    P.M.,     11.30 

P.M.,     12    A.M.,     12.15    A.M.,     12.30    A.M.,     I2.45    A.M., 

and  1.55  A.  M.,  eighty-four  street  walkers  were  seen 
accosting  men  at  different  places  on  Broadway  from  West 
34th  to  West  65th  Streets.  This  number  does  not  take 
into  account  prostitutes  who  were  merely  promenad- 
ing or  those  who  were  lurking  in  the  shadows  of  the  side 
streets.  Reports  of  a  similar  character  could  be  given  for 
the  months  of  April,  May,  June,  July,  August,  September, 
and  October,  19 12,  showing  that  solicitation  on  Broadway 
was  continuous. 

Sixth  Avenue  is  another  favorite  resort  for  street 
walkers.  On  September  17,  18,  23,  25,  26,  and  28,  1912, 
at  such  hours  as  4  p.  m.,  4.30  p.  m.,  6.30  p.  m.,  7.15  p.  m., 
and  8  to  9  p.  m.,  fifty-five  prostitutes  were  seen  so- 
liciting men  between  West  24th  and  West  29th  Streets. 

66 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

In  most  instances  the  destination  of  these  couples  was 
hotels  on  two  corners  of  West  28th  Street.  The  same 
general  conditions  as  described  regarding  solicitation  on 
Broadway  and  Sixth  Avenue  exist  in  other  sections  of 
the  city .20 

(4)       PUBLIC  DANCE  HALLS 

No  places  of  amusement  are  so  filled  with  moral  dan- 
gers to  boys  and  girls  as  certain  public  dance  halls  in  New 
York  City.  A  conviction  to  this  effect,  long  held,  has 
been  strengthened  as  a  result  of  a  thorough  and  compre- 
hensive investigation  of  85  public  dances  g^ven  in 
47  different  dance  halls  in  Manhattan  from  Jan- 
uary 24  to  June  24,  19 1 2.  Ninty-six  reports  were  made 
of  conditions  in  these  dance  halls  by  three  investigators, 
two  young  men  and  a  young  woman,  who  worked  inde- 
pendently. In  some  instances  they  reported  on  the  same 
dance  without  knowing  of  the  presence  of  one  another, 
thus  removing  all  doubt  regarding  the  facts  as  presented. 
No  special  dances  were  selected  for  observation,  the  in- 
vestigators having  been  sent  to  those  which  were  publicly 
advertised  from  time  to  time. 

Of  75  different  dances  reported  between  January  24 
and  June  24,  only  5  are  characterized  as  decent ;  1 1  were 
more  or  less  objectionable,  59  wholly  so.  At  all  but 
3,  intoxicating  liquor  was  sold;  at  61,  minors  were  pres- 
ent; at  all  but  2,  the  investigator  concluded  that  the  at- 
tendance was  largely  disreputable. 

A    woman    investigator    reported    31    dances,    at    22 

20  For  detailed  statistical  statements  respecting  street-conditions, 
see  Appendix  VII,  p.  — . 

^7. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

of  which  she  was  solicited  by  53  men ;  men  investigators, 
reporting  80  dances,  were  solicited  47  times  by  43  dif- 
ferent women. 

The  proprietors  of  the  dance  halls  in  question  have 
"  open  dates,"  on  which  their  halls  may  be  rented  by 
social  clubs  or  other  organizations  for  the  purpose  of  giv- 
ing an  "  affair  "  or  a  "  racket,"  as  a  ball  is  sometimes 
called.  There  are  hundreds  of  these  clubs  and  organiza- 
tions in  New  York  City,  and  the  chief  feature  of  the 
year's  activity  is  the  giving  of  a  ball  which  all  the  friends 
of  the  members  are  expected  to  attend.  Their  member- 
ship lists  are  made  up  of  cliques  or  gangs  of  young  boys 
and  men  who  come  together  because  of  some  mutual  in- 
terest, sometimes  for  worthy  motives,  but  very  often  as 
a  cover  for  disorderly  and  even  criminal  purposes.  Be- 
tween some  of  these  groups  there  is  great  rivalry,  at  times 
leading  to  fights  and  disturbances. 

The  usual  method  of  advertising  dances  is  by  distribut- 
ing "  throw  a  ways  "  or  small  colored  cards  on  which  are 
printed,  not  only  the  name  of  the  group  giving  the  dance, 
but  also  the  choruses  of  popular  songs,  parodies,  or  verses. 
These  latter  intimate  the  character  of  the  proposed 
frolic.  They  all  appeal  to  the  sex  interest,  some  being  so 
suggestive  that  they  are  absolutely  indecent.  During  the 
progress  of  a  dance  in  St.  Mark's  Place,^^  a  young  girl, 
hardly  above  seventeen  years  of  age,  presented  a  boy  with 
a  printed  card  advertising  a  ball  soon  to  be  held.  When 
the  card  is  folded,  it  forms  an  obscene  picture  and  title. 

During  the  past  few  years  aggressive  measures  have 

21X318. 

68 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

been  taken  by  different  reform  organizations  aiming  to 
bring  about  a  more  wholesome  atmosphere  in  connection 
with  pubHc  dances,  especially  those  attended  by  poorer 
boys  and  girls.  Proprietors  have  been  induced  to  employ 
special  officers  to  attend  the  dances  and  keep  order,  prevent 
"  tough  "  and  *'  half-time  "  dancing,  and  protect  innocent 
girls  from  the  advances  of  undesirable  persons.  The 
duties  of  the  special  officer  are  difficult  to  perform.  If  he 
interferes  too  much,  the  dancers  go  to  some  other  place 
where  they  enjoy  more  freedom.  As  a  result,  the  honest 
proprietor  who  endeavors  to  conduct  a  respectable  hall 
loses  patronage,  while  the  disreputable  owner  makes  all 
the  profit.  Again,  the  young  people  who  attend  these  balls 
know  immediately  when  a  person  different  from  them- 
selves appears  in  the  hall.  At  once  the  dance  becomes 
modest  and  sedate  and  the  visitor  goes  away  to  report 
"  that  while  conditions  are  not  what  they  should  be,  yet 
on  the  whole  there  is  great  improvement." 

A  social  club  ^^  gave  a  ball  on  the  evening  of  March  23, 
1912,  at  a  halP^  in  East  2nd  Street.  The  dancing  was 
very  suggestive.  The  special  officer  ^*  was  entertaining  a 
police  sergeant,  but  neither  made  any  effort  to  regulate  the 
actions  of  the  dancers.  The  next  afternoon  another 
club^'^  occupied  the  hall  at  the  same  address,  with  the 
same  special  officer  in  attendance.  Suddenly,  when  the 
dancing  was  in  full  swing,  the  officer  hurriedly  rushed 
among  the  dancers  and  told  them  to  "  cut  it  out  "  as  three 
detectives  had  just  come  in  and  he  did  not  want  to  see  the 
place  closed  up.     A  girl,  apparently  thirteen  years  of  age, 

22X319.  23x32a  24x321.  25x322. 

69 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

was  dancing  at  the  time  and  the  officer  put  her  off  the 
floor,  loudly  declaring  that  the  proprietor  did  not  allow 
young  girls  to  dance  in  the  hall.  Things  resumed  their 
former  aspect,  however,  as  soon  as  the  detectives  retired. 

Wine,  whisky,  and  beer,  freely  sold  in  connection  with 
certain  public  dances,  are  responsible  for  much  vulgarity 
and  obscenity.  Young  girls  have  been  seen  to  yield  them- 
selves in  wild  abandon  to  their  influence,  and  have  been 
carried  half  fainting  to  dark  corners  of  the  hall  and 
there,  almost  helpless,  have  been  subjected  to  the  most  in- 
decent advances. 

A  political  organization  gave  a  ball  at  a  resort  ^^  in 
Avenue  D,  February  i6,  191 2'.  Wine,  champagne  and 
beer  were  sold  from  a  bar  located  on  the  north  side  of  the 
hall  or  served  at  tables.  The  waiters  were  men,  while 
three  women  acted  as  bartenders.  By  actual  count,  one 
hundred  girls  and  boys  were  intoxicated.  Many  of  the 
drunken  girls  were  sitting  in  corners  of  the  hall  on  the 
laps  of  their  equally  intoxicated  partners,  who  were  hug- 
ging and  kissing  them.  The  same  conditions,  with  varia- 
tions, have  been  observed  in  other  dance  halls  where  liquor 
was  served  and  where  the  intermissions  between  the 
dances  were  extended  so  as  to  give  all  an  opportunity  to 
buy  drinks. 

At  a  ball  given  by  another  organization  ^"^  in  an  East 
2nd  Street  resort  ^^  on  March  i,  19 12,  the  dancing  was  ex- 
ceedingly vulgar  and  suggestive.  A  police  officer 
watched  the  obscene  exhibition  in  company  with  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  hall.     After  the  officer  left,  a  detective  in 

28  X  328.  27  X  330.  28  X  320,    X  320-a. 

70 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

plain  clothes  and  another  officer  in  uniform  came  in. 
The  proprietor  escorted  them  to  the  bar,  where  they  were 
served.  Then  the  host  entertained  his  guests  by  pointing 
out  the  girls  whom  he  considered  to  be  the  most  adept; 
and  the  three  men  passed  comments  upon  their  cleverness, 

A  crowd  of  pimps,  gamblers,  pickpockets,  and  "  strong 
arm  guys  "  attended  a  dance  given  on  March  30,  1912.^^ 
Here  a  pimp  named  Daniel  ^°  deliberately  struck  his  girl  in 
the  face  with  his  fist.  She  fell  to  the  floor  and  was  carried 
to  the  dressing  room  covered  with  blood.  The  woman  in- 
vestigator, who  had  been  a  nurse,  took  charge  of  the  girl 
and  summoned  a  physician.  A  doctor  ^^  with  an  office  in 
East  4th  Street,  sewed  four  stitches  in  the  girl's  lip  and 
charged  her  five  dollars,  which  was  to  include  two  future 
visits.  The  doctor  offered  the  investigator  fifteen  dollars 
to  help  him  with  a  case  that  night,  and  five  dollars  extra 
if  she  would  accompany  him  to  his  room.  Nor  was  this 
the  only  immoral  solicitation  that  the  woman  investigator 
was  subjected  to  in  order  to  get  the  facts. 

A  man  who  was  shot  to  death  not  long  ago,  a  "  gun 
man,"  gave  a  dance  on  March  29,  1912',  for  his  own  bene- 
fit. It  was  a  great  event.  "  Three  of  the  foremost  gam- 
blers were  present,"  a  man  proudly  declared,  and,  with 
equal  pride  further  said  that  several  madames  of  houses 
of  prostitution  and  their  inmates  were  there  also.  The 
program  of  this  dance  is  a  veritable  directory  of  "  gam- 
blers," "  gun  men,"  "  strong  arm  guys,"  pimps,  doc- 
tors, lawyers,  and  politicians.  Some  of  the  names  are 
very  familiar.     They  made  a  motley  crowd  —  all  with 

2»  Given  by  Club  X  341.  3°  X  342.  ai  x  343. 

71 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

mutual  interests.  Many  in  this  remarkable  gathering 
came  together  and  paid  large  admission  fees  at  the  door 
because  they  feared  the  gambler  who  gave  the  dance. 
The  occasions  above  described  are  not  utilized  only  by 
hardened  profligates :  young  girls,  some  perhaps  innocent, 
others,  if  not  entirely  innocent,  at  any  rate  not  yet  wholly 
depraved,  and  young  men  not  yet  altogether  vicious  attend 
the  gatherings  in  search  of  amusement  and  change. 
Some  of  the  girls  who  frequent  these  public  dance  halls 
reveal  their  loose  morals  by  their  manners  and  actions, 
but  many  are  innocent  working  girls  who  seek  legiti- 
mate recreation.  The  sinister  element  is  the  pimp  who 
attends  with  the  coldblooded  purpose  of  finding  new 
subjects  of  debauchery  and  of  subsequent  exploita- 
tion for  gain.  These  agents  of  commercialized  vice 
are  usually  well-dressed,  well-mannered,  and  intro- 
duce themselves  politely  and  easily  to  strangers.  They 
often  pretend  love  at  first  sight  and  exhibit  marked 
devotion,  by  which  girls  are  deceived  and  to  which  they  too 
often  yield.  Clever  subterfuges  are  sometimes  employed : 
a  pretended  drummer  states  that  he  has  "  sample  shoes  " 
or  "  sample  dresses  "  at  his  room :  "  If  they  fit,  they  are 
yours,"  he  says.  When  the  seduction  of  the  girls  is  ac- 
complished, they  are  put  on  the  street,  and  their  ruin  is 
complete.  These  "  powers  that  prey  "  are  a  constant  dan- 
ger in  public  dance  halls  and  find  there  easy  quarry. 
The  girls  who  refuse  to  be  inveigled  are  often  so  ostra- 
cized that  they  must  unbend,  if  they  wish  to  participate  in 
the  fun.  Dances  and  refreshments  are  withheld  until  the 
"  wall-flower  "  comes  round.  Examples  can  be  cited : 
a  model  who  earns  $i8  a  week,  one-half  of  which  she 

72 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

gives  her  father ;  ^^  an  embroidery  worker,^^  making  $io  a 
week ;  the  head  of  stock  in  the  shoe  department  of  a  Sixth 
Avenue  store ;  ^^  a  department  store  girl  earning  $6  a 
week.^^  With  these  working  women,  pimps  and  pro- 
fessional prostitutes  freely  mingle.  Forty  professional 
prostitutes  were  counted  at  one  dance  given  on  March  lo, 
1912.^^ 

(  5  )       EXCURSION  BOATS  AND  PARKS 

In  addition  to  the  places  already  mentioned,  the  pros- 
titute and  her  exploiter  take  advantage  of  other  opportuni- 
ties to  ply  their  trade.  The  excursion  boats  between  New 
York  and  Albany,  Bridgeport,  New  Haven,  Providence, 
Block  Island,  etc.,  are  often  used  for  a  rendezvous.  Oc- 
currences of  a  highly  suspicious  character  are  abundant: 

August  25,  19 1 2,  three  couples  left  the  boat  bound 
for  New  Haven  because  they  could  not  secure  rooms :  this, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  it  was  a  day  trip.  On  an 
excursion  boat  bound  for  Montauk  Point  on  July  28, 
1912,  two  young  couples  occupied  staterooms  19  and  21. 
The  girls  appeared  to  be  about  eighteen  years  of  age. 
Two  girls,  apparently  seventeen  years  of  age,  rented 
stateroom  No.  11,  where  they  remained  all  day  and 
were  visited  by  four  different  men.  When  the  boat 
returned  to  New  York  the  girls  went  ashore  and  boarded 
a  car  on  East  23rd  Street.  One  pretty  little  girl  on  this 
excursion  was  accompanied  by  a  woman  who  appeared  to 
be  her  mother.  The  girl  became  friendly  and  offered  to 
make  a  "  date  "  with  the  investigator.     She  lives  on  De- 

32X352.  3*X3S7.  88  By  the  X362  Club. 

33  X  353.  36  X  358. 

73 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Kalb  Avenue  in  Brooklyn.  Thei  *  were  two  others,  liv- 
ing in  Harlem,  evidently  working  girls,  who  were  also 
willing  to  make  '*  dates." 

It  is  indeed  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  that  pro- 
fessional prostitutes  make  a  practice  of  soliciting  on  ex- 
cursion boats  for  immoral  purposes.  The  women  make 
regular  trips  and  have  a  business  understanding  with  por- 
ters and  waiters,  who  aid  in  securing  customers.  On 
July  20,  19 1 2,  as  the  boat  for  New  Haven  was  about  to 
leave  the  dock,  two  prostitutes  who  solicit  in  a  cafe  on 
West  44th  Street  ^"^  came  aboard.  A  street  walker  who 
solicits  on  Broadway  and  has  a  home  in  the  Bronx  took 
the  trip  to  New  Haven  on  August  25,  19 12.  Six  prosti- 
tutes were  soliciting  young  men  on  the  trip  to  Block 
Island  on  August  11,  1912,  one  of  them  formerly  an  in- 
mate in  a  house  of  prostitution  in  West  47th  Street.^^ 
Her  companion  solicits  on  Broadway.  These  girls  said 
they  had  rooms  in  a  Block  Island  hotel,^®  where  they  in- 
vited the  men  to  meet  them. 

Some  of  the  waiters  and  porters  on  these  boats  act 
as  solicitors  for  prostitutes.  A  colored  porter  *''  on  a 
boat  running  to  Block  Island,  August  11,  1912,  said 
there  were  many  couples  on  board  having  immoral  rela- 
tions. He  offered  to  introduce  two  men  to  two  girls. 
On  August  8,  19 1 2,  a  colored  porter  on  a  boat  for  Prov- 
idence, Rhode  Island,  told  a  man  that  a  "  wise  young 
girl  "  occupied  stateroom  No.  68,  and  that  she  would  re- 
ceive men.     Robert,'*^  a  waiter  on  one  of  them,  declared 

37  X  368.  38  X  369.  39  X  370.  40  X  374. 

74 


Places  Which  Cater  to  Vice 

that  immoral  conditions  were  most  flagrant  on  the  Sun- 
day trips.  He  described  in  detail  the  actions  of  couples 
in  the  staterooms  when  he  served  them  drinks. 

Amusement  parks  are  similarly  abused.  Seven  such 
parks  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  City  were  visited 
during  the  summer  of  19 12,  and  vicious  conditions  were 
found  to  exist  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  all  of  them. 
In  the  drinking  places  prostitutes  sit  on  the  stage  in 
short  skirts  and  sing  and  dance  for  the  entertainment  of 
men  and  boys  drinking  at  the  tables.  The  girls  are  paid 
very  low  salaries,  and  therefore  depend  upon  making 
extra  money  from  prostitution.  The  waiters  aid  in 
securing  customers  and  receive  commissions  from  the 
girls  on  the  stage  for  this  service.  In  some  concert 
halls  the  girls  have  signs  which  they  use  to  indicate 
the  time  they  are  free  to  leave  the  stage  or  the  price 
they  require.  If  they  succeed  in  persuading  a  man  to 
buy  wine  in  the  balcony  of  the  hall,  they  receive  a  com- 
mission on  the  sale.  In  the  winter  time  some  of  these 
prostitutes  join  burlesque  shows  or  continue  to  carry  on 
their  immoral  business  otherwise  in  the  city. 

An  investigator  visited  a  concert  hall  connected  with 
an  amusement  park  on  Long  Island,  July  23,  19 12. 
There  were  eighteen  girls  seated  on  the  stage  in  short 
skirts,  the  majority  of  them  intoxicated;  in  their  wild 
efforts  to  entertain  the  crowd  of  men  and  boys  they 
exposed  their  persons.  Twenty-five  girls  sing  and  dance 
in  a  concert  hall  at  another  popular  amusement  park. 
They  are  divided  into  two  shifts,  each  shift  working  a 
stated  number  of  hours  during  the  afternoon  and  night. 
One  of  the  singers  was  recognized  by  a  man  who  had 

75 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

seen  her  in  a  house  of  prostitution  in  a  city  in  Pennsyl- 
vania; one  of  her  companions  solicits  for  immoral  pur- 
poses on  Broadway.  Many  of  these  concert  halls  and  sim- 
ilar places  are  connected  with  the  hotels  to  which  the  en- 
tertainers take  their  customers.  A  very  notorious  hotel 
of  this  character  ^^  adjoins  a  disreputable  concert  hall  in 
an  amusement  park  on  Staten  Island. 

The  conditions  in  dance  halls  in  connection  with  cer- 
tain amusement  parks  are  similar  to  those  described  under 
the  heading  "  Public  Dance  Halls."  Here  young  and 
thoughtless  working  girls  and  boys  often  yield  themselves 
to  the  degrading  influence  of  liquor  and  suggestive  danc- 
ing; and  here  also  are  found  the  prostitutes  and  their 
pimps. 

In  reference  to  public  parks,  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
police  force  is  entirely  inadequate  to  their  proper  sur- 
veillance. Shocking  occurrences  by  the  score  are  re- 
ported in  Central  and  other  parks  by  different  investi- 
gators under  the  date  of  July  15,  August  5,  July  20, 
July  12,  etc.  Not  infrequently  boys  and  girls  of  sixteen 
and  seventeen  are  involved  in  these  affairs, —  and  cases 
implicating  still  younger  children  are  reported.  The 
benches  in  certain  sections  of  Central  Park,  between  10 
p.  M.  and  I  A.  M.,  presented  a  most  demoralizing  spectacle 
to  the  observation  of  every  one  who  walked  through  the 
Park  during  the  months  of  July  and  August.^^ 

«  X  376. 

*3  For  Statisticals  details  as  to  parks  catering  to  prostitution,  see 
Appendix  II,  "  Summary  of  Resorts  Catering  to  Vice." 


76 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  EXPLOITERS 

The  present  investigation  has  established  the  fact  that 
the  business  of  prostitution  in  New  York  City  is  ex- 
ploited and,  for  the  most  part,  controlled  by  men, 
though  women  are  also  involved.  The  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  over  500  men  so  engaged  have  been  secured, 
together  with  personal  descriptions  and  the  records  of 
many  of  them.  Some  are  owners,  others,  procurers, 
the  rest  mainly  cadets  or  pimps, —  younger  men  who 
have  a  single  girl,  at  times  a  "  string  "  of  girls,  "  work- 
ing "  for  them  on  the  street  or  in  houses.  The 
woman  exploiter  is  at  times  herself  a  proprietor; 
usually,  however,  she  is  employed  by  men  on  a  salary 
to  operate  a  resort. 

( I )       OWNERS 

The  men  proprietors  have  reached  their  present  voca- 
tion by  many  paths.  They  have  been  wrestlers,  prize- 
fighters, gamblers,  "  politicians,"  proprietors  of  "  creep 
houses,"  ^  fruit  venders,  pawnbrokers,  pickpockets, 
crooks,  peddlers,  waiters,  saloonkeepers,  etc.  Some  of 
them  pose  as  "  business  men,"  carrying  cards  and 
samples,  to  serve  as  a  subterfuge  when  they  are  arrested 
as  vagrants  or   for  living  off  the  proceeds  of  prosti- 

1 A  "  creep  house  "  is  a  place  where  women  take  men  to  rob  them, 

77 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

tution.  Not  a  few,  however,  without  concealment,  de- 
vote their  entire  time  and  energy  to  managing  parlor 
houses  and  other  resorts  of  prostitution.  Some  of  the 
latter  own  a  business  outright;  others  have  partners 
who  share  in  the  profits.  One  man,  for  instance,  con- 
ducts a  house  with  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  inmates, 
and,  in  addition,  has  an  interest  in  several  other  ven- 
tures of  the  same  character.  In  some  cases  the  firm 
is  a  family  affair,  including  brothers,  brothers-in-law, 
uncles,  and  cousins. 

For  several  years  thirty  one-dollar  houses  of  prosti- 
tution in  the  Tenderloin  have  been  operated  as  a  "  com- 
bine," under  the  direct  control  of  fifteen  or  more  men. 
The  individuals  in  question  have  been  in  business  for 
many  years  in  New  York  City,  as  well  as  in  other 
cities  both  in  this  country  and  abroad.  They  buy  and 
sell  shares  in  these  houses  among  themselves,  and  it  is 
seldom  that  an  outsider,  unless  he  be  a  relative,  can 
"  break  "  into  the  circle  and  share  in  the  profits.  The 
value  of  the  shares  depends  upon  the  ability  of  the  owners 
to  maintain  conditions  in  which  the  houses,  being  unmo- 
lested, are  permitted  to  make  large  profits.  The  man  who 
proves  himself  capable  of  achieving  this  through  business 
sagacity  and  political  pull  is  called  the  "  king."  Upon 
him  falls  the  responsibility  of  "  seeing  "  the  "  right  "  in- 
dividuals. 

Owners  follow  the  trend  of  public  sentiment  with 
a  keenness  and  foresight  truly  remarkable.  If  a  new 
official  indicates  by  orders  or  by  sentiments  expressed 
in  public  that  he  is  in  favor  of  an  "  open  town."  there 
is  great  rejoicing  among  the  promoters.     Agitation  in 

78 


The  Exploiters 

the  opposite  direction  reacts  on  the  value  of  their 
properties :  prices  drop  and  there  is  a  scramble  to  "  get 
under  cover."  If  spasmodic  efforts  at  reform  are  made, 
the  more  prominent  owners  meet  in  council  with  their 
lawyers  and  solemnly  discuss  what  their  policy  should 
be.  If  their  houses  are  closed,  they  still  keep  on  pay- 
ing rent,  ready  to  open  again  —  when  a  favorable  word 
comes  or  when  the  moral  outbreak  subsides.  For  the 
owner  has  no  faith  in  reformers.  "  They  get  tired  and 
quit  " ;  "  all  this  will  blow  over  " ;  "  they  are  sick  of  it 
already  " ;  —  such  are  his  reflections  as  he  recalls  past  ex- 
periences. 

The  majority  of  men  exploiters  of  prostitution  in 
New  York  City  are  foreigners  by  birth.  Some  of 
them  have  been  seducers  of  defenseless  women  all  their 
lives.  In  one  instance,  at  least,  a  whole  family  is  en- 
gaged in  the  business, —  the  parents  ^  conduct  a  restau- 
rant, which  is  a  "  hangout "  for  pimps,  procurers, 
crooks,  and  prostitutes;  the  daughters  are  prosti- 
tutes, the  two  sons,  pimps  and  procurers.  The  father 
and  mother  are  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  girls  whom 
their  sons  may  ruin  and  exploit  on  the  street  or  in 
houses.  Another  family  ^  has  already  been  referred  to 
as  conducting  a  delicatessen  store  in  Seventh  Avenue: 
they  occupy  the  upper  floors  as  their  dwelling;  the  shop 
below  is  the  favorite  rendezvous  of  owners,  madames, 
procurers,  pimps,  and  prostitutes.  The  children  of  this 
family,  one  a  girl  just  reaching  womanhood,  mingle 
freely   with   them.     The    father   keeps   an   eye   on   the 

2X382.  3Xio8-a. 

79 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

handsome  procurers  who  talk  with  his  children;  though 
he  listens  daily  to  their  schemes  for  securing  women  and 
girls  he  would  "  cut  to  pieces  "  any  man  among  them 
who  attempted  to  defile  his  own  daughters. 

The  owners  in  question  did  not  all  come  directly  to 
America.  Some  of  them  drifted  to  other  parts  of 
Europe  with  young  girls  whom  they  had  secured  in  the 
small  towns  or  cities  of  their  own  countries.  South 
Africa  was  a  favorite  destination  —  especially  Johannes- 
burg. Many,  going  thither  during  the  Boer  War,  are 
reputed  to  have  made  large  profits  from  their  business 
with  soldiers  as  customers.  The  authorities,  however,  beat 
them  with  whips  and  drove  them  from  the  cities.  They 
fled  to  South  America  and  then  to  North  America.  Their 
trail  of  seduction  and  corruption  may  be  traced  through 
Argentine,  Brazil,  Cuba,  Canada,  Alaska,  and  the 
large  cities  of  our  own  country  —  San  Francisco,  Port- 
land, Seattle,  Tacoma,  Butte,  Denver,  Omaha,  St. 
Louis,  Chicago,  Pittsburg,  Philadelphia;  finally  they 
realize  their  hopes  in  New  York  City.  Here  they  have 
made  a  center,  and  from  this  center  they  go  back  over  the 
old  trail  from  time  to  time. 

If  a  composite  photograph  could  be  made  of  typical 
owners  of  vice  resorts,  it  would  show  a  large,  well-fed 
man  about  forty  years  of  age  and  five  feet,  eight  inches, 
in  height.  His  clothes  are  the  latest  cut,  loud  in  design, 
and  carefully  pressed.  A  heavy  watch  chain  adorns  his 
waistcoat,  a  large  diamond  sparkles  in  a  flashy  necktie, 
and  his  fat,  chubby  fingers  are  encircled  with  gold  and 
diamond  rings. 

On  April  6,  19 12,  a  group  of  owners  were  parading 

8q 


The  Exploiters 

up  and  down  Seventh  Avenue  in  front  of  the  above- 
mentioned  deHcatessen  store,  discussing  "  business." 
They  were  all  dressed  in  their  best  and  looked  prosperous. 
One,  a  large  man  with  a  black  mustache,  wore  a  very 
line  English  suit  and  a  hat  which  was  said  to  have  cost 
eight  dollars.  A  large  diamond  ring  sparkled  on  his  fat 
hand,  a  diamond  horse  shoe  pin  flashed  in  his  tie,  and  a 
charm  set  with  precious  stones  hung  from  a  heavy  gold 
watch  chain.  His  brother-in-law,  part  owner  with  him  of 
a  house  of  prostitution  in  West  25th  Street,^  was  also 
dressed  in  the  height  of  fashion, —  a  smart  suit,  a  black 
derby  hat,  and  patent  leather  pumps.  A  third  partner 
presented  an  equally  dignified  appearance.  There  were 
eight  other  owners  in  the  group,  making  a  very  im- 
posing appearance  as  they  eagerly  waited  to  talk  over 
matters  of  "  business "  with  the  representative  of  the 
"  boss," —  a  certain  official  who,  as  the  men  claimed, 
was  on  this  day  to  send  word  whether  or  not  the  owners 
could  proceed  with  their  nefarious  business. 

The  "  king  "  '^  of  this  set  has  the  reputation  of  being 
able  to  "  see  "  the  right  persons ;  when  a  member  is  "  in 
wrong  "  or  wants  to  open  a  house,  the  "  king  "  must 
first  be  consulted.  The  "king"  is  interested  in  eleven 
houses  of  prostitution  —  of  some  of  which  he  is  the  sole 
owner;  each  establishment  contains  an  average  of  about 
fifteen  inmates.  He  supports  two  notorious  women,®  who 
serve  as  madames,  each  jealous  of  every  attention  be- 
stowed by  him  on  the  other.  Many  years  ago  he  was 
a  soldier  in  Russia,  where  he  ruined  a  young  girl  whom 

*X46.  6X34.  «X86,  X87. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

he  afterwards  took  to  South  Africa.  Since  that  time 
she  has  earned  thousands  of  dollars  for  him.  He 
brought  her  to  this  country  and  traveled  with  her  from 
city  to  city  until  finally  he  settled  in  New  York,  where 
he  has  since  built  up  a  prosperous  business  and  gained 
an  "  influential  "  position. 

Among  the  others  are  two  brothers  who  combine  the 
business  of  exploiting  prostitution  with  that  of  selling 
diamonds.  They  are  noted  for  their  ability  to  outwit 
the  law,  for  they  openly  declare  that  they  can  buy  their 
way  out  of  any  trial.  Besides  their  houses,  they  have 
conducted  pool  parlors  and  restaurants,  and  one  of  them 
has  the  reputation  of  being  a  "  fence,"  or  receiver  of 
stolen  goods.  The  history  of  these  two  men  illustrates 
the  manner  in  which  pimps  develop  into  proprietors. 
When  they  first  came  to  America  about  twenty  years  ago, 
they  found  employment  on  a  peddler's  wagon.  Soon 
after,  one  of  them  ruined  a  fifteen-year  old  girl  who 
was  born  on  Broome  Street,  New  York  City.  For 
seven  years  subsequently  she  was  his  woman,  earning 
money  for  him  on  the  street  and  in  houses.  The  other 
brother,  not  to  be  outdone,  also  secured  a  girl  and  be- 
came a  pimp.  Later  they  were  both  employed  as  watch- 
boys  about  houses  of  prostitution.  Being  ambitious, 
they  were  soon  operating  regular  houses  on  Allen  Street, 
which  at  that  time  was  part  of  the  old  Red  Light  Dis- 
trict in  Manhattan.  Here  they  prospered  for  a  number 
of  years,  though  in  the  end  they  were  driven  from  the 
East  Side.  With  four  women  they  then  went  to  Boston, 
where  they  opened  a  house.  Apprehended  there,  they 
"  jumped    their    bail "    and    returned    to    their    former 

82 


The  Exploiters 

haunts  in  New  York.  Their  old  enemy  had  evidently 
lost  his  power;  for  the  brothers  were  allowed  to  con- 
tinue in  business.  After  the  closing  of  the  district,  the 
scene  of  their  business  ventures  was  transferred  to 
Buffalo  during  the  Exposition  of  1901.  Driven  thence, 
they  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  they  soon  owned  houses, 
saloons,  and  gambling  places.  Ex-Governor  Folk  was 
District  Attorney  in  St.  Louis  at  that  time  and  the 
brothers  were  among  those  who  fell  into  his  net.  One 
brother,  known  as  the  "  King  of  White  Chapel,"  that  be- 
ing the  Red  Light  District,  was  indicted  on  several 
counts  for  felonies  and  misdemeanors.  The  other 
brother  and  one  of  his  women  "^  were  also  indicted.  The 
enterprising  pair  secured  bail,  which  they  immediately 
forfeited,  and,  leaving  all  their  wealth  behind,  began  to 
roam  from  place  to  place  with  their  women.  One  went 
to  Havana,  and  one  to  Pittsburg;  driven  from  Pitts- 
burg, the  latter  soon  joined  his  brother  in  Havana.  From 
Havana  the  two  men  and  their  women  went  to  South 
Africa  and  settled  in  Johannesburg.  Here  once  more 
they  made  a  large  sum  of  money.  The  authorities 
seized  one  of  the  brothers  and  sentenced  him  to  jail; 
on  the  expiration  of  his  term,  he  was  whipped  and  or- 
dered out  of  the  city.  The  brothers  then  went  to  Vienna, 
to  London,  and  from  London  sailed  to  New  York  City. 
When  they  returned  to  the  city  of  their  early  business 
success,  they  opened  a  house  of  prostitution  on  West 
34th  Street  in  company  with  a  man  who  had  just  re- 
turned from  South  Africa.     For  a  year  they  prospered. 

83 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

When  the  former  District  Attorney  of  St.  Louis,  who 
had  since  become  Governor,  learned  of  their  presence 
in  this  country,  he  secured  their  extradition.  The 
brothers  took  $25,000  to  St.  Louis  with  them  and  not 
long  afterwards  returned  to  New  York  entirely  penniless. 
No  wonder  the  elder  and  more  crafty  of  the  two  brothers 
declares  that  the  law  cannot  touch  them!  No  wonder, 
when  he  is  intoxicated,  he  strikes  his  chest  and  shouts 
defiance  to  the  law!  During  all  these  vicissitudes  one 
of  his  women  ^  remained  loyal.  She  is  known  among 
the  owners  of  houses  all  over  the  country  as  the  "  best 
money  getter "  in  the  world.  When  her  owner  was 
"  broke  "  and  in  sore  distress,  she  put  him  on  his  feet 
again.     She  is  his  woman  to-day. 

The  instances  cited  are  by  no  means  exceptional. 
Prostitution  has  become  a  business,  the  promoters  of 
which  continually  scan  the  field  for  a  location  favorable 
to  their  operations;  and  the  field  is  the  entire  civilized 
world.  No  legitimate  enterprise  is  more  shrewdly  man- 
aged from  this  point  of  view;  no  variety  of  trade  ad- 
justs itself  more  promptly  to  conditions,  transferring 
its  activities  from  one  place  to  another,  as  opportunities 
contract  here  and  expand  there.  The  keeper  of  a  disor- 
derly saloon  ®  finds  himself  hampered  in  Chicago :  he  mi- 
grates to  New  York  to  become  part  owner  of  a  Sixth  Ave- 
nue resort.  ^^  Raided  in  Philadelphia,  another  ^^  goes  first 
to  Pittsburg,  thence  to  this  city,  where  he  purchases  an 
interest  in   a  West  25th   Street  ^^   establishment.     The 

8  X  384.  "  X  403.  "  X  467. 

»  X  402.  "  X  407. 

84 


The  Exploiters 

former  owner  *^  of  places  in  St.  Louis  and  Omaha  is  now 
part  owner  in  two  houses  ^*  on  this  same  street.  Still 
another  ^^  was  in  the  business  successively  in  Philadel- 
phia, Chicago,  San  Francisco,  Dallas,  and  Los  Angeles. 
One  of  the  partners  ^^  in  a  resort  in  West  36th  Street  ^'^ 
has  at  different  times  had  houses  in  Portland,  Seattle, 
Brazil,  Argentine,  and  London.  Another  ^*  is  sim- 
ultaneously interested  in  houses  in  this  city  ^^  and  in 
Norfolk,  Virginia.  The  part  owner  ^^  of  a  notorious 
place  on  Sixth  Avenue  ^^  has  conducted  houses  of  prosti- 
tution in  St.  Louis,  Buffalo,  and  Johannesburg^  South 
Africa,  and  has  traveled  all  over  the  world  in  the  busi- 
ness of  exploiting  prostitution,^^ 

(2)       PROCURERS 

While  keepers  of  houses  are  also  procurers,  there  is  a 
group  of  men  who  devote  themselves  singly  to  this  work. 
These  are  the  typical  "  white  slavers,"  whose  trade  de- 
pends entirely  upon  the  existence  of  houses  of  prostitu- 
tion. To  this  point  we  shall  in  a  moment  recur  in  con- 
nection with  women  promoters  of  prostitution.  For  the 
present  I  desire  simply  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the 
procurer  has  practically  no  chance  to  ply  his  trade  un- 
less there  are  houses  of  prostitution  from  which  he  can 
accept  orders  and  to  which  he  can  dispose  of  "  goods." 

"X408.  "X414.  "X311. 

"X258,  409.  "X416.  20X68. 

"■^Xys.  18  X  421.  21x426. 

22  For  further  details,  see  Appendix  XIV,  "Additional  Data  — 
Shipping  Women." 

8s 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

The  successful  procurer  as  well  as  the  pimp,  to  be  next 
described,  boasts  that,  once  a  girl  comes  under  his 
influence,  she  will  do  anything  for  him.  No  matter 
how  ugly  or  repulsive  outwardly,  he  holds  his  women. 
One  of  the  most  active  procurers  in  the  city  is 
short,  heavy,  and  humpbacked. ^^  He  has  the  reputation 
of  being  even  more  successful  than  a  competitor  ^^  who 
is  handsome,  athletic,  and  well-dressed.  The  former 
has  been  apprehended  in  other  cities  on  the  charge  of  pro- 
curing, once  serving  two  and  a  half  years  in  Philadelphia 
under  an  assumed  name.^^  To-day  he  walks  the  streets 
of  New  York  City,  a  free  man,  unmolested. 

Procurers  frequent  entrances  to  factories  and  depart- 
ment stores,  or  walk  the  streets  at  night  striking  up  ac- 
quaintance with  girls  who  are  alone  and  looking  for 
adventure.  They  select  a  girl  waiting  on  a  table  in  a 
restaurant,  or  at  the  cashier's  desk,  and  gradually  make 
her  acquaintance.  They  attend  steamboat  excursions, 
are  found  at  the  sea  shore  and  amusement  parks,  in  mov- 
ing picture  shows,  at  the  public  dance  halls, —  in  fact, 
wherever  girls  congregate  for  business  or  for  pleasure. 
They  choose  with  almost  unerring  judgment  the  type  of 
girl  who  may  be  pliable  to  their  will. 

At  5  p.  M.,  on  March  14,  1912,  six  procurers  ^^  stood 
on  the  corner  of  27th  Street  and  Sixth  Avenue  waiting 
for  the  shop  and  factory  girls  to  pass  by  on  their  way  go- 
ing home  from  work.  For  one  hour  the  investigator 
watched  these  men  and  saw  them  endeavoring  to  attract 

23  X  385.  24  X  386.  25  X  385-a. 

2«  X  68,  X  386-a,  X  386,  X  387,  X  388,  X  389- 

86 


The  Exploiters 

the  attention  of  several  girls.     At  last  two  of  them  ^"^  suc- 
ceeded in  interesting  two  girls,  who  accompanied  them. 

On  Sunday,  June  23,  191 2,  a  group  of  procurers  ^*  went 
to  a  certain  seashore  resort.  On  the  beach  they  were 
joined  by  a  notorious  procurer,  then  employed  as  a 
life  saver.^^  He  greeted  his  comrades  with  the  words: 
"  Ich  hob'  frisch'  Schore  "  (I  have  fresh  goods.)  The 
group  then  put  on  their  bathing  suits  and  went  into  the 
surf.  After  a  while  they  missed  one  of  their  number,^*^ 
whom  they  finally  found  with  a  young  girl  apparently 
eighteen  years  of  age :  she  was  the  "  fresh  goods," —  the 
object  of  the  "  line  up,"  as  it  afterwards  developed. 

(3)       THE    PIMP 

The  pimp  or  cadet  as  he  is  commonly  called,  has 
not  yet  developed  into  a  professional  procurer  or  keeper 
of  a  house  of  prostitution.  While  all  procurers  and 
owners  of  houses  are  in  reality  pimps,  the  converse  is  not 
always  true :  all  pimps  are  not  procurers,  though  they  may 
hope  to  be  some  day. 

The  pimp  enters  the  business  when  he  either  ruins  a 
young  girl  for  his  future  profit  or  becomes  the  lover  and 
protector  of  a  prostitute  already  in  the  business.  As  the 
future  pimp  grows  up  in  a  crowded  neighborhood,  he 
becomes  a  member  of  a  gang  and,  as  such,  is  admired  by 
some  reckless  girl  in  the  vicinity.  Proud  of  her  ac- 
quaintance with  him,  she  shares  the  spoils  resulting  from 
his  petty  thieving  and  other  escapades.     Very  early  in 

27x386,  X387.  29x386. 

28  X  88,  X  163,  X  393,  X  74.  ^^  X  385. 

87 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

their  career  the  two  begin  to  have  immoral  relations, 
not  only  with  each  other,  but  with  different  boys  and 
girls  of  their  own  kind.  They  have  never  had  moral 
standards  in  any  proper  sense  of  the  term.  The  large 
majority  of  boys  who  become  pimps  and  seducers  of 
girls  and  the  large  majority  of  girls  who  become  prosti- 
tutes were  at  the  start  not  immoral,  but  unmoral.  Later 
the  boy  drifts  to  the  pool  parlor  or  gambling  room  for 
his  recreation  and  companionship,  the  girl  to  public 
dance  halls  and  similar  places  of  amusement.  Many  of 
these  girls  are  already  clandestine  prostitutes,  secretly 
carrying  on  the  business  of  prostitution  while  at  the 
same  time  engaged  in  some  legitimate  employment  "  just 
to  keep  up  a  respectable  appearance."  Under  the  pimp's 
influence  and  suggestion  the  girl  finally  "  breaks  "  away 
from  her  secret  immoral  life  and  becomes  a  "  regular." 
The  pimp  shows  her  the  way,  provides  places  for  her 
to  solicit  or  "  hustle  "  on  the  street  or  in  the  vice  resort. 
He  attends  to  the  business  arrangements,  even  to  the  col- 
lection of  her  money,  though  when  she  is  "  well  broke," 
he  allows  her  to  collect  her  own  money  and  give  it  to 
him.  Some  pimps  beat  their  women,  on  the  principle 
that  that  is  the  only  way  to  make  them  fear  and  love 
them.  This  may  seem  a  paradox;  but  it  is  indeed  true 
that  many  prostitutes  do  not  believe  their  lovers  care  for 
them  unless  they  "  beat  them  up  "  occasionally. 

The  psychology  of  the  relation  of  prostitute  to  pimp 
is  a  complicated  one,  difficult  for  the  normal  individual 
to  understand.  In  the  cases  above  alluded  to,  boy  and 
girl  have  been  comrades,  the  boy  lording  it  over  the 

88 


The  Exploiters 

girl  until  she  submits  to  being  his  property.  But  there  are 
prostitutes,  apparently  quite  able  to  stand  alone,  who 
deliberately  select  a  pimp;  if  they  cease  to  be  satisfied 
with  him,  he  is  discharged  and  a  successor  taken.  Why 
should  a  prostitute  of  either  kind  desire  a  pimp  ?  There 
are  many  reasons :  the  pimp  is  her  business  agent  in  deal- 
ing with  owners,  hotel  keepers,  etc. ;  he  is  her  "  go-be- 
tween," if  she  gets  into  "  trouble  "  with  the  law;  her  com- 
panion, for  she  is  lonely  after  the  night's  business;  but 
—  most  important  of  all  —  her  lover  —  one  person 
who  seems  to  care  for  her  as  a  human  being,  whether  he 
does  or  not,  and  for  whom  she  does  herself  really  care. 
A  spark  of  affection  lives  at  the  heart  of  this  ghastly  re- 
lation. 

In  her  relation  to  the  pimp,  as  well  as  to  the 
house  madame,  the  prostitute  is  not  infrequently  to 
all  intents  and  purposes  a  white  slave.  For  the  pimp, 
like  the  madame,  subjects  her  in  many  cases  completely 
to  his  will  and  command.  This  does  not  mean  that  the 
girl  is  necessarily  imprisoned  behind  locked  doors  and 
barred  windows.  But  restraint  may  be  thoroughly  ef- 
fective, even  though  not  actually  or  mainly  physical.  Un- 
educated, with  little  or  no  comprehension  of  her  legal 
rights  or  of  the  powers  which  could  be  invoked  to  aid  her, 
often  an  immigrant  or  at  least  a  stranger,  she  is  soon 
cowed  by  the  brute  to  whom  she  has  mistakenly  attached 
herself.  Should  she  make  an  effort  to  break  away,  she  is 
pursued  and  hemmed  in  by  the  concerted  efforts  of  her 
cadet  and  his  associates.  As  a  rule,  however,  pimps 
are    skilful    enough    to    play    for    and    to    obtain    the 

89 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

sentimental  loyalty  of  their  women;  so  that  the  prosti- 
tute herself  becomes  the  greatest  obstacle  to  her  own 
freedom  and  rehabilitation. 

There  are  hundreds,  perhaps  thousands,  of  pimps  in 
New  York  City.  During  this  investigation  scores  of 
their  names  and  personal  descriptions  have  been  accumu- 
lated, as  well  as  those  of  their  women.  One  of  the  best 
known  ^^  is  a  "  life-taker  "  and  "  strong  arm  guy,"  a  dan- 
gerous fellow,  twenty-two  years  old,  who  has  been  re- 
peatedly arrested  as  a  consequence  of  his  quarrels,  A 
"  pipe  fiend "  and  gambler,  his  favorite  occupation  is 
"  stuss."  At  elections  he  has  his  own  "  mob "  who 
work  at  the  polls  for  corrupt  politicians.  His  girl  is  a 
slim,  bleached  blonde,  "  good  for  $ioo  to  $150  a  week  on 
the  street,"  it  is  said. 

On  June  26,  19 12,  five  pimps  were  playing  cards 
in  a  restaurant  on  Seventh  Avenue.  The  day  was  very 
hot.  During  the  afternoon  the  girl  ^^  who  is  "  hust- 
ling "  for  one  of  them  ^^  came  into  the  restaurant  wear- 
ing a  heavy  velvet  suit.  The  wife  of  the  proprietor 
asked :  "  What  are  you  doing,  wearing  a  suit  like  that 
in  this  kind  of  weather  ?  "  She  replied  that  though  she 
was  bringing  home  eight,  ten,  and  twelve  dollars  every 
night,  she  could  not  afford  a  new  dress.  "  He  needs  it 
for  gambling,"  she  said,  pointing  to  her  pimp.  Leaving 
the  table  in  anger  he  deliberately  slapped  her  in  the  face : 
"Didn't  you  pay  $32  for  that  suit?"  he  said.  "What 
more  do  you  want  ?  " 

31 X  340. 

32  X  396.  83  X  393. 

90 


The  Exploiters 

Another  ^*  frequents  a  restaurant  in  Second  Avenue.'*^ 
He  is  twenty-nine  years  of  age,  smooth  shaven,  with  a 
scar  on  his  face.  Before  he  became  a  pimp  he  was 
known  as  a  "  pool  room  shark."  He  smokes  opium, 
snuffs  cocaine,  and  plays  stud  poker.  With  men  of  his 
kind  he  is  not  very  popular:  they  declare  that  he  cannot 
tell  the  truth,  that  for  a  "  shell  of  hop  "  he  would  kill 
a  dozen  Chinamen,  and  for  a  nickel  would  "  frame  up  " 
his  best  friend.  "  Just  an  ordinary,  every  day,  common 
pimp,"  they  say, —  "  can't  borrow  a  dollar  and  lives  on 
nothing  but  the  money  his  woman  earns." 

Hearing  of  places  where  business  is  better,  owners 
and  pimps  ship  their  "  goods  "  about  in  hope  of  larger 
profits.  The  women  remit  their  earnings,  feven  if 
separated  hundreds  of  miles.  For  example,  Fanny,  a 
woman  belonging  to  a  notorious  pimp,^^  formerly  solicited 
on  Third  Avenue.  A  year  or  more  ago  Fanny  was 
brought  into  court,  charged  with  street  walking.  She 
was  sentenced  to  not  less  than  three  months  nor  more 
than  five;  after  a  month  she  was  released,  according  to 
her  pimp,  who  declared  that  it  had  cost  him  $500  in 
lawyers'  fees,  etc.  Thereupon  he  sent  Fanny  to  Butte, 
Montana,  whence  at  the  end  of  one  week  she  sent 
him  $150.  On  June  21,  19 12,  the  pimp  complained  that 
Fanny  was  then  sending  him  only  $150  per  month.  He 
was  sure  that  she  was  "  holding  out  on  him,"  for  he 
knew  that  she  made  at  least  $100  a  week. 

Sophia,  belonging  to  an  equally  well-known  cadet,^''^ 
whose  own  parents  try  to  secure  women  for  him,  reached 

3*  X  399.  36  X  427. 

35  X  400.  37  X  382-a. 

91 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

New  York  from  New  Orleans  late  in  June,  19 12.  Her 
pimp  and  her  brother  met  her  at  the  station.  To  the  for- 
mer's utter  surprise  she  declared  that  she  was  "  through  " 
with  him.  A  quarrel  ensued;  the  pimp  was  worsted 
and  had  to  abandon  his  claim  to  the  girl, —  one  of  the 
occasional  cases,  already  referred  to,  in  which  the  girl 
throws  over  her  pimp. 

(4)       MADAMES 

The  women  who  run  houses  have  as  a  rule  risen  from 
the  ranks.  They  were  once  street  walkers  or  parlor 
house  inmates  who  possess  unusual  business  talents. 
They  have  learned  the  secrets  of  the  trade ;  they  know  the 
kind  of  inmates  to  get,  and  where  to  get  them.  They 
know  how  to  deal  with  customers  and  how  to  make  them 
spend  money. 

It  takes  a  woman  of  tact  and  force  to  operate  a  house 
with  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  inmates  competing  with 
one  another  on  a  commission  basis.  She  must  keep 
them  contented,  prevent  quarrels,  and  stifle  petty 
jealousies.  She  must  attach  as  many  of  them  to  the 
house  as  she  can  and  keep  them  loyal.  To  do  this 
the  madame  seeks  to  become  the  adviser  and  friend  of 
the  girls,  while  at  the  same  time  she  drives  them  to  the 
utmost  to  earn  larger  profits  for  the  house.  It  is  not 
uncommon  for  the  girls  as  well  as  the  customers  to  call 
her  "  mother."  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  some  men 
marry  these  women  and  find  them  devoted  wives. 

All  of  the  thirty  cheap  resorts  referred  to  in  a  pre- 
vious chapter  as  belonging  to  men  are  managed  by  ma- 
dames  and  housekeepers  who  are  either  their  wives  or 

92 


The  Exploiters 

their  women.  These  women  attend  to  all  the  details 
connected  with  the  business.  They  receive  customers, 
"  show  off  the  girls,"  urge  visitors  to  spend  money,  col- 
lect money,  punch  checks,  sell  liquor,  keep  the  books, 
and  settle  up  with  the  boss :  when  the  houses  are  raided 
or  an  arrest  has  to  be  made  they  are  the  ones  to  go  to 
jail.  The  large  majority  of  them  were  born  in  foreign 
countries.  They  have  had  years  of  experience  in  operat- 
ing houses  in  many  cities  of  North  and  South  America,  as 
well  as  in  foreign  lands,  especially  South  Africa.  The 
loyalty  displayed  by  them  toward  the  men  who  employ 
them  has  become  a  tradition.  Year  after  year,  through  ad- 
versity and  prosperity  they  have  followed  their  masters 
and  obeyed  their  will.  Beaten,  exploited,  infected, 
jailed,  they  still  remain  steadfast.  Very  rarely  can  one  of 
them  be  persuaded  to  testify  in  a  court  of  law  against 
her  master.  A  striking  example  is  furnished  by  a 
woman  ^^  who  came  under  the  influence  of  her  master  ^* 
when  she  was  a  child  of  fifteen  and  was  living  with  her 
parents  in  a  distant  country,  where  he  had  seduced  her. 
At  9  p.  M.,  on  June  27,  19 12,  she  came  into  a  restaurant 
where  her  man  was  playing  cards  and  upbraided  him  be- 
cause he  had  purchased  an  automobile  and  placed  it  at  the 
disposal  of  another  one  of  his  madames,  neglecting  her. 
She  called  him  vile  names  and  declared  that  she  would 
go  to  the  police  and  "  squeal "  on  him.  She  told  how 
for  fifteen  years  she  had  earned  money  for  him,  and  all 
she  had  to  show  for  it  was  a  furnished  room  to  sleep  in 
and  a  diamond  ring,  while  he  put  his  other  woman  in 
a  "  swell  "  apartment.     "  I've  been  cut  to  pieces  for  you," 

88X87.  39X34. 

93 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

she  wailed,  "  I've  been  your  slave  for  fifteen  years  and 
now  you  turn  me  down  for  that  wench."  She  had 
hardly  concluded  her  tirade  when  her  man  rose  from 
his  chair  and  struck  her  brutally  in  the  face  with  his 
fist.  She  reeled  as  though  about  to  fall,  then  cowering 
before  him  left  the  place  weeping.  She  did  not 
"  squeal  "  to  the  police. 

When  a  man  owner  employs  either  his  wife,  woman 
or  a  housekeeper  to  operate  his  house,  it  is  understood 
that  she  shall  be  the  one  to  suffer  punishment  in  case  of 
arrest.  In  order  to  avoid  punishment,  men  who  rent 
houses  for  these  purposes  sub-let  them  to  the  women, 
who  are  then  held  as  the  responsible  parties.  When 
arrest  or  eviction  comes,  and  the  madame  is  sent  to  jail 
or  dispossssed,  the  real  proprietor  again  sub-lets  his 
house  to  another  woman.  This  fact  explains  why  the 
arrests  for  conducting  houses  of  prostitution  do  not  re- 
sult in  diminishing  to  any  extent  the  number  of  such 
resorts.  On  June  24,  19 12,  a  keeper  had  a  sub-lease 
drawn  up  for  a  house  and  inserted  the  name  of  Anna,^*^ 
the  prospective  madame  who  was  to  "  stand  for "  the 
arrest  or  eviction  notice,  should  there  be  one.  On 
March  31,  1912,  "Joe"  ^^  said  that  he  was  paying  $85 
per  month  to  his  landlord  and  $25  per  month  as  a 
bonus  to  the  agent  for  his  house  of  prostitution  in  West 
28th  Street. ^2  The  landlord  *^  is  reputed  to  be  a  wealthy 
business  man, — "  a  fine  fellow,"  said  Joe,  "  he  is  now 
fighting  a  dispossession  notice  for  me.  It  is  understood 
between  us  that  if  I  can't  beat  it,  I  can  sub-let  the  house  to 

*o  X  SOI.  42  X  183. 

*i  X  260.  «  X  463. 

94 


The  Exploiters 

another  woman  and  charge  her  a  bigger  rent.  Later, 
when  we  get  another  notice,  I  can  say,  '  All  right,  I  will 
dispossess  this  woman.'  Then  I  can  get  another.  It 's 
no  joke  to  run  a  house,  believe  me.  The  women  are 
sent  to  jail.  My  wife  got  sixty  days  for  running  this 
house  the  other  day.  That  arrest  will  cost  me  $300  for 
her  alone.  Now  the  women  have  started  a  new  game. 
In  case  one  gets  three  months,  we  have  to  give  her  $500 
to  keep  her  mouth  shut."  On  March  11,  1912',  a  part- 
ner *^  in  a  house  of  prostitution  in  West  24th  Street  ^'^  was 
describing  his  fortunes  as  a  keeper  of  houses  in  New  York 
City  during  the  past  fifteen  years.  Among  other  things 
he  said,  "  My  housekeeper  got  three  months  last  week, 
and  I  am  paying  her  $5  a  day  for  every  day  she  is  in 
jail." 

Not  a  few  of  these  madames  have  been  arrested  in  dif- 
ferent countries  and  cities  as  "  gun  mols  "  (pickpockets). 
That  is  part  of  their  training,  and  the  robberies  they 
commit  add  many  dollars  to  the  incomes  of  the  men  who 
have  put  them  in  the  business.  A  customer  who  enters 
their  houses  in  an  intoxicated  condition  is  often  robbed 
of  everything  of  value.  If  he  remonstrates  he  is  told  by 
the  police  to  swear  out  a  warrant  for  the  woman  he  sus- 
pects and  appear  as  a  witness  against  her.  It  is  not  often 
a  man  will  do  this  under  the  circumstances. 

The  women  who  operate  houses  on  their  own  account 
belong  to  a  rather  different  type:  their  establishments 
are  almost  always  pretentious.  Born,  as  a  rule,  in  this 
country  or  in  France,  they  make  a  show  of  elegance  and 
refinement.     Their  houses  are  elaborately  furnished  and 

**  X  44.  «  X  502. 

95 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

they  and  their  "  boarders  "  appear  in  stylish  gowns,  and 
endeavor  to  interest  their  guests  by  affecting  a  knowledge 
of  art  or  music  or  literature.  Many  of  them  openly  boast 
of  influential  and  prominent  friends,  on  whose  good  of- 
fices they  can  rely  in  emergencies. 

In  either  case  the  housekeeper  earns  money  not  only 
from  the  customers  of  the  house,  but  from  the  inmates. 
Theoretically  the  inmates  receive  one-half  of  all  the 
money  they  take  in.  This  is  not  actually  the  case.  They 
are  indeed  fortunate  if  they  receive  any  money  at  all 
after  weeks  of  service.  At  most,  they  obtain  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  per  cent  instead  of  fifty  per  cent.  Sometimes, 
as  the  first  step  in  the  process  of  exploitation,  the  ma- 
dame  tries  to  induce  the  girl  to  give  up  her  pimp,  in  or- 
der that  she  may  have  her  more  directly  under  control. 
Having  attached  the  girl  to  herself,  she  sells  her  all  sorts 
of  things :  coats,  suits,  dresses,  kimonos,  chemises,  under- 
wear, hosiery,  shoes,  hats,  gloves,  feathers,  plumes, 
combs,  hairpins,  toilet  articles,  silver  meshbags,  watches 
and  rings.  Hundreds  of  girls  are  thus  preyed  upon. 
Not  infrequently,  however,  it  happens  that  madames 
prefer  that  their  girls  keep  their  pimps,  because  such 
girls  are  made  to  work  harder  by  the  aid  of  the  latter. 
As  the  madames  and  pimps  divide  the  gains  of  the  un- 
fortunate creatures,  their  interests  usually  agree  and  they 
unite  to  exploit  their  common  property. 

The  articles  mentioned  in  the  preceding  paragraph  are 

not  infrequently  described  as  stolen  goods,  brought  to  the 

houses  by  peddlers  who  are  hired  to  dispose  of  them  by 

crooks  and  shoplifters.     A  pimp  and  procurer  *^  was  in  a 

*6  X  518. 

96 


The  Exploiters 

resort  ^"^  on  the  third  floor  of  a  house  on  West  58th 
Street  ^*  on  June  15,  1912,  trying  to  sell  the  madame  sev- 
eral pairs  of  silk  hose,  to  be  sold  in  turn  to  the  inmates. 
The  stockings  were  frankly  admitted  to  be  stolen  goods 
which  had  been  turned  over  to  him  by  a  shoplifter^® 
who  is  a  member  of  a  14th  Street  gang  and  is  known  as  a 
"  strong  arm  guy."  On  March  28,  19 12,  about  8  p.  m., 
a  young  crook  ^^  came  into  a  restaurant  in  Seventh  Ave- 
nue ^^  and  exhibited  a  dress  which  he  declared  he  had 
stolen  from  a  prominent  store.^^  The  dress  was  marked 
$18.29.  It  did  not  fit  any  of  the  madames  who  were 
in  the  restaurant  at  the  time.  Finally  he  sold  the  dress 
to  the  madame ^^  of  a  house  in  West  25th  Street^*  for 
$10.  She  in  turn  disposed  of  it  to  one  of  her  inmates 
for  $35.  The  notorious  madame  ^^  of  a  house  in  West 
25th  Street  ^^  had  fifty  chemises  on  March  25,  1912, 
which  she  had  purchased  from  a  peddler,^'^  giving  him 
$31  for  the  lot.  "  I  am  selling  these  to  the  girls  for 
$6,  $7,  and  $8  apiece,"  she  said.  "  If  I  bought  them  in  a 
store  they  would  cost  $2.75  apiece;  but  what  is  the  dif- 
ference whether  I  get  it  or  the  pimp  gets  it?  " 

"  I  never  allow  a  girl  to  get  down  to  owing  me  less 
than  $5,"  said  another  madame.  "  When  she  is  as  nearly 
out  of  debt  as  that,  I  send  for  Sam  the  peddler  and  sug- 
gest that  she  buy  some  clothes  and  toilet  articles. 
There  's  Ruth, —  just  watch  her  when  she  comes  in.     I 

*7  Kept  by  Madame  X  519.     "  X  108.  55  x  17. 

■*8Xii6.  "X540.  5«X59. 

*o  X  S2a  53  X  51.  67  Named  X  522. 

50X50.  "X46. 

97 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

dressed  her  up  the  way  you  will  see  her;  the  dress  cost 
me  $20.     She  paid  me  $70  for  it." 

The  procuress  may  be  dealt  with  in  this  same  connec- 
tion. Like  the  madame  she  has,  as  a  rule,  become  too  old 
to  find  prostitution  itself  any  longer  a  profitable  business ; 
but  native  shrewdness  and  plausibility  enable  her  to  turn 
her  experience  to  account  as  a  pandar.  I  have  al- 
ready spoken  of  men  procurers;  but  the  woman  pro- 
curer is  even  more  insidious.  She  meets  young  girls 
in  private  rooms,  talks  to  them  in  public  places,  invites 
them  to  her  home  without  arousing  suspicion.  As  a 
woman  she  knows  many  avenues  of  approach  closed  to 
men,  and  is  quick  to  sympathize  with  discouraged  or  vain 
girls. 

One  of  the  best  procuresses  in  New  York  City  operates 
as  a  sort  of  employment  agent,  receiving  a  com- 
mission from  immoral  girls  for  finding  profitable  houses 
for  them  to  work  in.  In  this  way  she  supplies  the 
cheaper  grade  of  houses,  the  girls  paying  her  from  $2 
to  $5  commission,  according  to  the  character  of  the 
house  to  which  she  sends  them.  Another,^ ^  also  the  ma- 
dame of  a  house  in  West  38th  Street,^^  goes  to  France 
to  secure  girls  for  her  exclusive  $5  and  $10  house. 
On  June  6,  19 12,  eight  inmates  were  counted  in  her 
establishment,  several  of  whom  were  young  French 
girls  who  could  speak  little  or  no  English.  One  of 
them  told  a  stranger  that  she  had  not  been  in  this  country 
very  long.  On  July  17,  1912,  at  about  7  p.  m.,  a  madame 
was   asked  ^^    whether   she   could   use   three   girls   just 

•58X507.  80  By  X508. 

»»X493. 

98 


The  Exploiters 

brought  from  Vancouver,  British  Columbia.  Betsy,  the 
madame,  said  she  could  not,  but  j)ointed  with  her  finger 
to  two  men  owners  ^^  of  a  house  in  West  28th  Street.*^^ 
One  of  them  asked  the  woman  what  the  girls  looked 
like.  The  procuress  indicated  that  they  were  well  built, 
young,  and  pretty.  The  man  cautiously  advised  the 
woman  to  take  the  girls  somewhere  and  "  green  them 
out."«^ 

The  close  and  essential  connection  between  the  white 
slave  traffic  and  houses  of  prostitution  is  clearly  exhibited 
by  the  foregoing  instances.  Houses  of  prostitution  can- 
not exist  except  through  trafficking  in  women.  Pros- 
titutes who  live  scattered  through  the  city  may  earn  money 
for  their  pimps ;  but  traffic  in  scattered  prostitutes  is  prac- 
tically impossible.  As  soon  as  houses  are  set  up,  an  op- 
portunity for  trade  is  created.  The  proprietors  give 
specific  orders  to  the  procurer  —  for  young  girls,  for  in- 
nocent girls,  for  blondes,  for  brunettes,  for  slender 
women,  for  stout  women.  And  the  procurer  fills  the  or- 
der, resorting  to  every  possible  device  in  the  effort  to  do 
so, —  to  deceit,  misrepresentation,  intoxication,  "  doping," 
or  what  not.  The  white  slave  traffic  is  thus  not  only  a 
hideous  reality,  but  a  reality  almost  wholly  dependent  on 
the  existence  of  houses  of  prostitution. 

61  X  418,     X509. 

«2X4i9. 

63  This  expression  means  that  the  girls  should  be  broken  into  the 
business  in  some  private  place,  until  they  were  fitted  for  the  public 
houses. 


99 


CHAPTER  V 

PROSTITUTE    AND    CUSTOMER 
(a)    THE    PROSTITUTE 

The  professional  prostitute,  in  the  sense  in  which  the 
term  is  here  used,  is  the  woman  or  girl  who  sells  her- 
self for  money,  whether  for  her  own  pecuniary  benefit, 
or  under  the  direction  or  control  of  owners  of  vice 
resorts,  of  madames,  procurers,  or  pimps.  There  has 
been  much  speculation  as  to  the  number  of  such  women 
in  New  York  City.  Various  estimates  have  been  made 
from  time  to  time,  ranging  from  25,000  to  100,000. 
A  recent  estimate  places  the  number  at  30,000. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  investigation,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  count  all  women  who  were  believed  to  be  pro- 
fessional prostitutes  seen  in  connection  with  resorts  of 
all  kinds  in  Manhattan,  as  well  as  those  who  used  the 
streets  for  solicitation.  Although  these  resorts  were 
visited  two  or  more  times,  only  one  count  made  on  one 
visit  is  included  in  the  total.  As  a  result  of  this  method, 
adhered  to  throughout  the  entire  period  of  the  study,  i.  e., 
from  January  24th,  19 12,  to  November  15th,  19 12,  the 
number  of  professional  prostitutes  actually  counted  was 
14,926.  Of  this  number,  6,759  were  found  on  the  streets 
in  different  localities  in  Manhattan;  8,167  prostitutes 
were   seen   and   counted   in   parlor   houses,    resorts   in 

100 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

tenement  apartments,  disorderly  massage  parlors, 
hotels,  saloons,  concert  halls,  and  miscellaneous  places.* 
Not  all  the  vice  resorts  operating  in  Manhattan  were 
visited;  nor  v^ere  all  the  women  in  these  resorts 
seen  during  the  visits :  a  certain  number  of  repetitions 
would  thus  probably  be  more  than  offset.  On  the  basis 
of  the  foregoing  figures,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  a  total  in 
round  numbers  of  15,000  does  not  overstate  the  number  of 
professional  prostitutes  in  Manhattan.  This  estimate 
does  not  include  occasional  or  clandestine  prostitutes ;  it  in- 
cludes those  only  who  publicly  offer  themselves  for  sale  in 
the  open  marts. 

An  effort  was  made  to  ascertain  the  salient  facts  in 
the  personal  history  of  1,106  prostitutes  —  mostly  street 
walkers.  The  approximate  accuracy  or  truthfulness  of 
the  facts  stated  may  be  inferred  from  the  extent  to  which 
they  are  confirmed  by  Miss  Davis's  intensive  study  of  the 
inmates  of  Bedford  Reformatory.*^  Our  investigator 
was  a  woman  who  was  regarded  as  extraordinarily  suc- 
cessful in  winning  the  confidence  of  the  girls,  with  whom 
she  associated  on  easy  and  familiar  terms,  and  by  whom 
she  was  regarded  as  one  of  themselves.  Of  the  1,106 
women  thus  interrogated,  762  gave  America  as  their  na- 
tive land;  347  gave  New  York  State  as  their  birthplace; 
95  were  born  in  Pennsylvania,  63  in  New  Jersey,  35  in 
Ohio,  26  in  Connecticut.  Of  the  344  born  in  foreign 
countries,  107  came  from  Russia,  72  from  Germany,  35 
from  Austria-Hungary,  and  32  from  England  and  Scot- 

1  For  statistical  details,  see  Appendix  III,  "  Inmates  of  Vice  Re- 
sorts." 
i»  See  Chapter  VIII. 

lOI 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

land.  Their  previous  occupations  include  domestic  serv- 
ice, trade,  industry,  commerce,  stenography,  school  teach- 
ing. Those  who  are  arrested  come  mainly  from  the  class 
first  named,  thus  conjfirming  the  results  obtained  by  Miss 
Mary  Conyngton,  an  investigator  for  the  Department  of 
Labor  at  Washington,  who  declares  that  out  of  3,229 
women  arrested  for  offenses  against  the  law,  2,606,  or 
80.71  per  cent  claim  to  have  followed  the  ordinary  pur- 
suits of  women  "  within  and  outside  the  home."  ^  But, 
it  must  be  added,  the  majority  of  those  now  engaged  in 
prostitution  seldom  reach  the  Night  Court  or  rescue 
homes.  They  are  too  well-dressed,  too  clever,  and  have 
long  since  learned  the  art  of  escaping  the  hand  of  the  law. 
Of  the  women  at  large  interrogated,  487  gave  their  occu- 
pational history;  of  these,  it  is  not  surprising  to  find  that 
the  percentage  of  domestic  servants  is  lower  than  among 
168  girls  found  in  rescue  homes,  refuges  and  asylums. 
Of  the  487,  there  were  117  who  stated  that  they  had  been 
or  were  employed  in  department  stores ;  28  were  clerks  in 
smaller  stores ;  "^2  had  worked  in  factories ;  25  gave  office 
work ;  3 1  said  they  had  been  or  were  then  stenographers ;  9 
telephone  operators;  ^2  had  been  on  the  stage,  and  16  of 

2  See  Report  on  "  Relation  between  Occupation  and  Criminality  of 
Women,"  page  29,  being  Vol.  XV  of  Report  on  Conditions  of 
Women  and  Child  Wage-Earners  in  the  United  States. 

It  is  further  to  be  remembered,  in  accounting  for  the  dispro- 
portionate number  of  servants  among  those  arrested,  that,  as  Miss 
Jane  Addams  has  pointed  out,  many  of  these  girls  have  had  such 
brief  periods  of  domestic  employment  that  they  cannot  fairly  be 
reckoned  in  the  servant  class.  They  describe  themselves  as  such 
merely  in  default  of  any  other  convenient  term ;  they  may  have 
served  for  a  few  days  here  or  there,  but,  strictly  speaking,  they 
bave  no  calling  at  all. 

102 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

these  still  remained  in  this  occupation  during  the  theatrical 
season;  13  declared  they  had  been  milliners;  8  were 
school  teachers ;  4  were  trained  nurses ;  5  had  sold  books 
on  commission ;  4  were  artists ;  2  artists'  models ;  and 
I  was  a  translator.  Seventy-nine  of  the  487  gave  home 
pursuits  as  their  former  occupation;  27  of  these  said 
they  had  been  domestic  servants;  8  were  nurse  girls, 
17  were  dressmakers,  18  were  waitresses  and  9  chamber- 
maids. Five  hundred  and  eighteen  (over  half)  repre- 
sented themselves  as  without  regular  employment,  either 
before  or  after  they  became  prostitutes  and  loi  refused 
to  say  what  their  employment  had  been.* 

The  types  of  employment  appear  to  be  much  more 
varied  than  the  types  of  girl.  With  few  exceptions, 
the  girls  are  characterized  as  weak,  vain  and  ignorant, 
fond  of  pleasure, —  not,  of  course,  at  the  beginning,  neces- 
sarily vicious  pleasure, —  easily  led, —  now  by  natural 
emotion,  again  by  cunning  design.  The  explanation  of 
her  present  plight  as  given  by  the  girl  is  almost  invariably 
complicated.  No  single  reason  can  usually  be  assigned. 
Roughly  speaking,  four  kinds  of  causes  are  mentioned: 

First.         In  connection  with  family  life. 

Second.     In  connection  with  married  life. 

Third.       Personal  reasons. 

Fourth.     Economic  reasons. 

The  great  difficulties  in  their  family  life  seem  to  have 
been  neglect  and  abuse  by  parents,  sternness  and  lack 
of  understanding,  immorality  of  different  members  of 
the  family,  and  poverty  in  the  home.  In  connection 
with  marriage,  it  was  usually  alleged  that  the  husband 
pjersuaded  the  wife  to  go  into  the  business:  he  was 

103 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

practically  a  pimp.  Sometimes,  cruelty  or  criminality 
on  his  part  is  assigned, —  again,  incompatibility,  failure 
to  provide,  or  desertion  where  the  wife  stated  that  she 
had  no  other  recourse,  never  having  learned  to  support 
herself.  Of  personal  reasons,  there  are  usually  several, 
no  one  of  which  can  be  regarded  as  paramount.  Some- 
times a  girl's  lover  puts  her  into  the  life  or  deserts  her  af- 
ter seduction,  leaving  her  without  hope  for  the  future :  "  I 
was  ruined  anyway,"  she  would  say,  "  and  I  did  not  care 
what  became  of  me."  Again,  "  I  loved  the  excitement 
and  a  good  time,  easy  money  and  good  clothes."  An- 
other one  remarks,  "  I  was  born  bad  and  actually  enjoy 
the  life."  "  I  was  tired  of  drudgery  as  a  servant,"  said 
another,  "  I  'd  rather  do  this  than  be  kicked  around  like  a 
dog  in  a  kitchen  by  some  woman  who  calls  herself  a  lady." 
Few  girls  ever  admit  that  they  have  been  forced  into 
the  life  as  "  white  slaves."  Some  were  lonely  and  wanted 
company,  some  were  demoralized  by  the  environment 
of  the  stage ;  others  fell  into  bad  company,  and  did  not 
have  the  moral  courage  or  the  opportunity  to  desist. 
Generally  speaking,  of  girls  and  women  who  are  either 
ignorant,  lonely,  giddy,  sub-normal,  loveless,  childless,  re- 
bellious, weak  of  will,  discouraged  of  heart,  unhappy  or 
poverty-stricken,  the  prostitutes  are  those  who  at  critical 
periods  have  given  way  to  such  an  extent  that  they  drift 
or  plunge  into  immoral  lives,  professional  or  otherwise. 

The  same  sort  of  explanation  is  given  regardless  of  for- 
mer occupation :  "  I  was  glad  to  get  away  from  drudg- 
ery," says  a  former  servant,  "  father  drank  and  I  was  put 
out  to  work  too  young  " ;  "  my  folks  were  poor,  father 
died  from  drink,  mother  is  a  heavy  drinker,"  says  a  fac- 

104 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

tory  girl ;  "  I  had  never  had  anything  for  myself,  father 
drank  heavily,"  says  a  saleswoman.  Or,  again, —  a  fac- 
tory w^orker,  "  there  is  more  money  and  pleasure  in  being 
a  sport."  A  shop-girl,  "  I  v^anted  nice  clothes  and  a  good 
time  " ;  a  stenographer,  "  I  v^anted  good  times,  money 
and  clothes."  Seduction,  too,  is  alleged  at  all  levels, — 
base  men  taking  advantage  of  natural  craving  for  interest 
and  affection.  "  I  v^as  17  when  I  went  with  my  sweet- 
heart," said  a  shop-girl ;  "  I  never  intended  to  make  it 
a  business,  I  was  in  love  with  the  first  fellow,"  declared 
a  former  stenographer.  The  point  should  also  be  em- 
phasized that  victims  of  this  kind  do  not  succumb  merely 
to  man's  impulse ;  often  they  are  conquered  by  deliberate 
design.  Undoubtedly  responsible  for  part  of  the  supply 
is,  therefore,  the  thoughtless,  intelligent,  independent  man, 
who  seeks  out  a  vain,  unhappy,  emotional  girl  as  his  vic- 
tim. I  refer  to  the  employer  who  takes  advantage  of 
his  stenographer  or  telephone  girl,  taking  her  to  luncheons 
in  private  dining-rooms  in  expensive  restaurants  in  the 
business  districts.  In  department  stores,  certain  floor- 
walkers, salesmen,  buyers,  managers,  foremen,  and 
even  proprietors  are  constantly  placing  temptations  be- 
fore the  weak  and  yielding  girls  who  come  under  their 
direction. 2^ 

How  far  direct  economic  pressure  is  responsible  for 
prostitution,  it  is  difficult  to  state.  A  calculation  of 
the  wages  previously  received  reveals  great  discrepancies. 
Seventeen  former  domestics  averaged  $5.55  a  week,  plus 
board  and  lodging;  18  factory  workers  received  from  $3 

2a  This  statement  is  substantiated  by  the  findings  of  a  private  in- 
vestigation made  in  New  York  City  during  1912. 

105 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

to  $7.50,  20  received  from  $8  to  $14  a  week;  no  shop- 
girls averaged  $8.24  a  week.  The  above  salaries  range, 
however,  from  $3  to  $15  weekly,  the  majority  receiving 
$6,  $7,  and  $8.  Eleven  receive  $10;  eleven,  $12  apiece; 
and  three,  $15  each.  Twenty  former  stenographers 
earned  on  the  average  $1 1.25  a  week ;  of  the  eight  women 
who  claimed  to  have  been  school-teachers,  one  had  earned 
$80  a  month,  and  one  $90.  One  hundred  and  thirty-nine 
girls  ( 12'  per  cent)  declared  that  they  went  into  the  life  for 
economic  reasons.  Thirty-three  put  it  this  way,  "  I  could 
not  support  myself  " ;  fifty-five  declared  that  they  could  not 
support  tliemselves  and  their  babies,  sometimes  their 
parents ;  forty-five  said  they  were  out  of  work  and  could 
not  get  it;  nine  were  in  ill  health  or  had  some  defect 
keeping  them  out  of  work.  Many  more  cited  in  explana- 
tion of  their  conduct  the  deprivations  to  which  they 
would  otherwise  have  to  submit.  Their  alleged  earnings 
as  prostitutes,  even  if  exaggerated,  suggest  a  startling 
contrast:  former  servants  claim  that  their  receipts  from 
soliciting  vary  from  $26  to  $68  per  week ;  thirty  former 
factory  workers  claim  average  weekly  returns  of  $24; 
40  more  profess  an  average  of  $76  a  week;  a  group  of 
stenographers  (17)  average  $55  per  week. 

The  critical  period  when  the  first  sexual  offense  of 
these  women  was  committed  appears  to  belong  between 
the  14th  and  21st  years  of  life;  the  average  of  1,106  such 
girls  is  17  years.  Twenty-five  servants  first  erred  be- 
tween the  9th  and  26th  years ;  their  average  age  was  16 ;  40 
factory  workers,  first  erring  between  14  and  22,  averaged 
a  little  over  17;  no  salesgirls  give  the  same  result. 
Occasionally  they  declare  that  they  never  knew  the  time 

106 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

when  they  were  virtuous.  "  When  I  was  a  kid  of  6, 
I  used  to  kiss  sailors  and  other  men  for  candy  and  do 
other  things,"  said  one.  Naturally  the  age  is  highest 
in  case  of  the  former  teachers,  of  whom  one  reports 
her  first  offense  at  2 1 ,  another  at  20 ;  one  or  two  report 
their  fall  in  their  i8th  year.  The  average  time  which 
elapsed  before  the  girls  finally  drifted  into  professional 
prostitution  was  two  years,  i.  e.,  when  they  were  19 
years  of  age.  The  life  of  the  professional  prostitute 
has  been  estimated  at  five  years,  on  the  ground  that 
she  dies,  withdraws,  or  is  incapacitated  after  she  has  been 
in  the  business  on  the  average  for  that  length  of  time. 
But  a  study  of  more  than  a  thousand  prostitutes,  all 
now  actively  engaged  in  the  business  in  New  York 
City,  does  not  sustain  this  view.  The  majority  of  these 
girls,  though  entering  the  life  before  18,  are  at  24  still 
active  and  aggressive  in  seeking  trade.  There  is  a 
sudden  drop,  however,  at  25,  fluctuating  more  or  less 
until  the  age  of  30  is  reached.  Of  the  1,097  profes- 
sional women  whose  histories  were  carefully  compiled 
on  this  point,  15  were  exceedingly  active  at  32,  13  at 
34,  II  at  40,  3  at  44,  and  3  at  50.  The  average  age 
of  the  1,097  who  are  at  present  inmates  of  vice  resorts, 
solicitors  in  saloons,  and  on  the  streets,  is  25  years. 

It  is  curious  to  note  that  prostitution  is  definitely 
stratified.  Women  divide  themselves  into  three  dis- 
tinct classes  and  recognize  the  subdivisions.  To  the 
upper  class  belong  the  inmates  of  $5  and  $10  houses. 
The  middle  class  is  formed  by  girls  in  one  dollar  and 
fifty  cent  establishments.  The  street  girls  are,  generally 
speaking,  at  the  bottom.     As  in  the  upper,  so  in  the  under- 

107 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

world,  social  status  changes  with  prosperity  or  adversity, 
though  the  tendency  —  by  reason  of  the  progressi\e  de- 
moralization of  the  life  —  is  definitely  downwards.  Un- 
der the  influence  of  age,  dissipation  and  disease,  physical 
deterioration  rapidly  sets  in.  Those  who  are  at  the  top 
fall  into  the  lower  classes,  except  in  the  cases  in  which 
they  become  madames,  managers  or  mistresses,  or  aban- 
don the  life.  Those  in  the  middle  class  usually  end  on  the 
streets. 

(b)       THE   CUSTOMER 

The  necessary  counterpart  to  the  prostitute  is  her 
customer:  she  is  the  concrete  answer  to  his  demand. 
There  are  prostitutes  at  different  economic  levels,  because 
their  customers  are  derived  from  all  social  classes.  The 
careless,  unkempt  woman  at  the  bottom  is  adjusted  to  the 
requirements  of  the  least  exacting;  a  somewhat  better 
type  meets  the  demands  of  men  of  moderate  means ;  the 
showy  woman  at  the  top  corresponds  to  the  fastidious- 
ness of  the  spendthrift. 

The  customers  found  in  the  fifty-cent  vice  resorts 
already  described  are  usually  longshoremen,  truck  driv- 
ers, street  cleaners,  coal  heavers,  soldiers  and  sailors, 
recently  landed  immigrants  of  low  moral  standards,  and 
laborers  of  all  kinds.  Their  treatment  of  the  women 
is  not  infrequently  brutal, —  usually  perhaps  in  conse- 
quence of  intoxication.  To  one-  and  two-dollar  houses 
resort  men  and  boys  who  earn  ten,  twenty,  twenty-five 
or  more  dollars  per  week.  They  are  proprietors  of  small 
business  enterprises,  clerks,  bookkeepers,  bartenders, 
barbers,  tailors,  waiters,  soldiers,  sailors,  messengers 
in  banks,  members  of  social  and  political  clubs  or  of  bene- 

io8 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

fit  organizations.  Saturday  and  Sunday  are  the  popular 
nights  with  men  of  this  type.  The  owners  and  madames 
provide  extra  "  goods "  to  "  take  care  of  the  trade " 
on  such  occasions.  This  fact  was  brought  out  many 
times  during  the  investigation  as  the  workers  went  from 
one  house  to  the  other  counting  the  inmates.  A  house 
that  early  in  the  week  contained  only  ten  or  twelve 
inmates  would  on  Saturday  and  Sunday  have  its  num- 
bers increased  to  fifteen  and  twenty-five.  This  was 
especially  true  in  resorts  like  those  on  Sixth  Avenue.^ 

I  have  in  mind  one  prominent  organization  *  whose 
members  are  regular  customers  in  houses  of  this  grade. 
Many  of  the  rank  and  file  are  themselves  owners  and 
pimps,  who  joined  the  club  in  order  to  advertise  their 
houses  and  women  to  their  associates.  Another  or- 
ganization^ of  similar  character  has  a  membership  oi 
about  500  young  men  whose  ages  range  from  twenty* 
one  to  thirty.  They  are  fond  of  attending  boxing  con- 
tests, wrestling  bouts,  athletic  meets  and  public  dances. 
After  such  exhibitions  or  "  affairs  "  they  go  in  groups 
of  five  or  ten  to  the  houses,  spending  long  hours  in 
promiscuous  orgies.  Owners  make  a  specialty  of  cater- 
ing to  clubs  of  this  character.  When  they  give  public 
balls,  "  rackets,"  "  chowder  parties,"  or  other  outings, 
the  madames,  buying  tickets  liberally,  attend  with  their 
best  looking  inmates  or  with  runners  to  drum  up  trade. 
After  the  ball  or  outing  is  over,  groups  of  men  and  boys 
follow  them  back  to  their  quarters. 

The  proprietors  of  the  highest  priced  houses  are  very 

^X33  and  X  9. 

*X54i.  «X54S. 

109 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

cautious  in  the  conduct  of  their  business.  There  is  no 
promiscuous  interminghng  of  customers  in  a  common  re- 
ceiving parlor  where  the  men  huddle  on  a  bench  awaiting 
their  turn,  or  sit  in  chairs  gaping  at  each  other  unashamed. 
Separate  parlors  are  used  for  display;  privacy  is  carefully 
guarded.  In  order  to  make  doubly  sure  that  their  visits 
will  not  be  known,  prominent  customers  occasionally  hire 
an  entire  establishment.  An  instance  is  cited  in  which  a 
well-to-do  patron  remained  three  days  in  such  a  resort. 
At  times,  however,  men  are  utterly  reckless :  they  have 
been  known  to  leave  their  business  cards  behind  them,  or 
their  signatures  in  books  or  on  presents  given  to  the  in- 
mates or  the  madame.  One  such  individual  is  the  New 
York  agent  for  a  famous  automobile  concern ;  another  is 
the  manager  of  a  company  which  manufactures  a  well- 
known  typewriter ;  another  travels  about  from  city  to  city 
selling  hats ;  while  still  a  fourth  is  connected  with  a  cele- 
brated watch  company. 

A  numerous  but  pathetic  group  is  that  made  up  of 
young  clerks  who,  living  alone  in  unattractive  quarters, 
find  in  professional  prostitutes  companions  in  the  com- 
pany of  whom  a  night's  revel  offsets  the  dullness  of  their 
lives  at  other  times.  There  are  thousands  of  these  men 
in  New  York.  No  home  ties  restrain  them ;  no  home  as- 
sociations fill  their  time  or  thought.  Their  rooms  are  fit 
only  to  sleep  in;  close  friends  they  have  few  or  none. 
You  can  watch  them  on  the  streets  any  evening.  Hour 
after  hour  they  gaze  at  the  passing  throng ;  at  length  they 
fling  themselves  into  the  current, —  no  longer  silent  and 
alone. 

No  small  part  of  the  business  is  the  so-called  "  out 

no 


Prostitute  and  Customer 

of  town  "  trade.  It  has  been  conservatively  estimated 
that  over  250,000  visitors  enter  this  city  every  day  in 
the  year  for  business  or  for  pleasure.  This  great  host 
visit  the  theaters,  parks,  seashore  resorts,  museums ;  they 
trade  in  stores  and  shops,  and  some  of  them,  before 
they  return  to  their  homes,  become  customers  in  vice 
resorts.  They,  too,  include  all  social  classes:  soldiers 
and  sailors,  traveling  men  and  buyers,  men  in  attendance 
on  business,  political  or  fraternal  gatherings  and  con- 
ventions, and  mere  pleasure  seekers. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  number  of  men  and 
boys  who  become  customers  in  vice  resorts  in  Manhattan 
during  the  course  of  one  year.  On  the  basis  of  data 
actually  on  file,  it  may  be  assumed  that  inmates  of  resorts 
and  women  on  the  street  trade  with  between  ten  and 
fifteen  men  per  day.  This  statement  is  corroborated  by 
data  secured  by  the  Vice  Commission  in  Chicago,  where 
the  average  was  found  to  be  15  per  day  for  18  inmates  in 
one  house  covering  a  period  of  22  months,^  as  well  as  by 
data  obtained  in  Syracuse,  New  York,  where  the  average 
number  of  customers  entertained  by  one  inmate  during  a 
period  of  6  months  was  12.'^  Taking  the  lower  figures  as 
the  basis  of  calculation,  if  the  15,000  professional  prosti- 
tutes of  Manhattan  entertain  ten  guests  apiece,  the  cus- 
tomers total  at  least  150,000  persons  every  day. 

^  See  "  The  Social  Evil  in  Chicago,  Report  of  the  Chicago  Vice 
Commission,"  page  loi. 

■^  See  "  The  Social  Evil  in  Ssrracuse,  N.  Y.,  Report  of  the  Morals 
Survey  Committee,"  page  95. 


Ill 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  BUSINESS  OF  PROSTITUTION  ;  ITS  COST 

The  present  chapter  deals  mainly  with  the  business 
of  prostitution  as  conducted  in  parlor  houses  and  brothels. 
Our  investigators  were  fortunate  in  being  able  to 
mingle  freely  with  promoters  and  their  assistants  dur- 
ing a  period  of  many  months,  listening  to  their  con- 
versations, consulting  with  them  about  business  deals, 
helping  them  "  make  up  their  books  "  after  the  day's  busi- 
ness was  over,  and  writing  letters  for  them;  they 
were,  in  fact,  treated  as  members  of  the  inner  circle  and 
thus  obtained  first-hand  information.  Copies  of  leases 
for  property  are  on  our  files;  records  of  expenses 
and  receipts  in  the  handwriting  of  the  promoters  were 
secured ;  conversations  carried  on  between  promoters  and 
bearing  on  their  business  dealings,  have  been  recorded. 
It  is  commonly  believed  that  men  who  live  upon  the 
proceeds  of  prostitution  are  untruthful,  that  no  depend- 
ence can  be  put  upon  their  statements.  This  doubtless 
holds  as  to  their  utterances  on  the  witness  stand  or 
before  an  investigating  body.  But  among  themselves 
they  talk  about  their  business  dealings  with  great  free- 
dom, and  probably  with  more  or  less  general  accuracy. 
They  eat  and  drink,  buy  and  sell,  plan  and  scheme  like 
other  business  men;  and  under  such  circumstances  the 

112 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

facts  and  conversations  presented  herewith  were  obtained. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  must  be  distinctly  stated  that  our 
agents  were  not  authorized  or  permitted  to  "  frame  up  " 
cases  in  order  to  secure  facts.  They  did  not  operate 
houses  of  prostitution  in  the  effort  to  obtain  direct  evi- 
dence, although  opportunities  of  this  kind  frequently  pre- 
sented themselves.  They  could  have  leased  property  for 
immoral  purposes,  bought  shares  in  houses  of  prostitu- 
tion, or  have  become  active  agents  in  arranging  the  de- 
tails essential  to  the  safe  and  successful  conduct  of  the 
business.  Their  instructions  forbade  anything  of  the 
kind :  it  was  their  part  merely  to  observe  without  arousing 
suspicion  on  the  one  hand,  and  without  actual  participation 
on  the  other. 

(l)       LEASING   PROPERTY 

In  order  to  secure  houses  to  be  used  for  immoral  pur- 
poses, **  go-betweens  "  called  "  mecklers  "  are  employed. 
The  "  meckler  "  is  paid  a  fee,  never  less  than  $30  and 
sometimes  as  much  as  $100.  Occasionally  he  receives 
a  small  percentage  of  the  receipts. 

A  man  of  this  character  ^  lives  in  East  139th  Street* 
During  the  period  of  this  investigation,  he  selected  a 
building  on  Sixth  Avenue  ^  as  suitable  for  the  business 
of  prostitution.  Several  promoters  had  previously  tried 
unsuccessfully  to  secure  a  lease  on  this  property. 
Through  the  pawnbroker  who  occupies  the  first  floor,  the 
"  meckler  "  in  question  ultimately  succeeded  in  securing 
the  owner's  ^  consent :  the  rental  was  $300  a  month, 

1X428.  «X423. 

2  X  428-a.  *  X  548. 

"3 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

despite  the  wretched  conditions  of  the  premises.  He 
therefore  rented  the  upper  floors  to  three  others,^  who 
shared  with  him  on  a  20  per  cent  basis.  The  enterprise 
was  not  successful ;  not  long  after  the  "  meckler  "  sold 
his  share  ^  for  $450.  The  house  closed  in  March,  1912, 
because  of  poor  management.  Later  three  other  men  pur- 
chased the  lease  and  re-opened  the  place. 

On  June  26th,  19 12,  two  owners  '^  of  a  house  of  prosti- 
tution ^  in  West  28th  Street,  sought  to  rent  a  house  ® 
on  West  29th  Street.  The  go-between  was  instructed 
to  secure  a  lease  on  the  house  for  one  year  if  possible, 
and  was  told  to  give  the  agent  to  understand  for  what 
purpose  they  wanted  the  property.  If  objection  was 
made,  he  was  to  tell  the  agent  that  in  case  of  disposses- 
sion proceedings,  the  tenant  could  be  evicted  and  a  new 
lease  issued  under  a  different  name.  This  was  said 
to  be  the  usual  plan  when  the  police  made  an  arrest  or 
issued  an  eviction  notice.  The  go-between  carried  out 
his  instructions  literally.  The  house  agents  candidly  ad- 
mitted that  "  the  owner  knows  that  the  only  thing  we 
can  let  the  house  for  is  for  a  cat-house  "  (meaning  a 
house  of  prostitution).  They  stipulated  that  the  place 
was  not  to  be  conducted  as  a  gambling  house  or  pool 
room;  otherwise  they  did  not  care.  The  rental  finally 
agreed  upon  was  $2,000  a  year.  It  was  also  agreed 
to  insert  in  the  lease  a  clause  permitting  the  lessee  to 
sublet  the  house  to  some  other  tenant  in  case  of  arrest 
and  subsequent  dispossession  proceedings.     A  deposit  of 

sXiii,  X549,  X5S0.  8X12. 

«To  Xiio.  «X5S4. 

'X47-a,  X408. 

114 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

$30  was  made  and  a  receipt  was  given  in  the  name  of 
the  supposed  broker,  or  "  meckler." 

In  the  renting  of  premises  for  purposes  of  prostitution 
various  devices  are  employed  to  protect  agent  and  owner, 
despite  the  fact  that  there  is  an  overwhelming  probability 
that  in  most  cases  both  possess  from  the  outset  guilty 
knowledge  of  the  facts.  In  some  places,  direct  responsi- 
bility is  avoided  through  renting  empty  apartments  to 
janitors  for  a  rental  ranging  from  $40  to  $50  a 
month.  The  janitor  furnishes  these  apartments  on  the 
instalment  plan  and  sublets  them  to  prostitutes  at  the 
rate  of$i5to$i8  per  week.  Then,  in  addition,  he  often 
receives  from  $3  to  $5  per  week  to  "  look  away,"  as  he 
terms  it.  If  the  respectable  families  do  not  like  it,  they 
may  move ;  and  many  of  them  do  move. 

The  method  of  subletting  furnished  apartments  by  the 
janitor,  with  the  consent  of  the  agent  (who  probably 
shares  in  the  extra  profits)  is  employed  in  a  tenement 
building  on  West  109th  Street.  In  other  places,  the 
agents  rent  apartments  by  the  week,  demanding  payment 
in  advance.  After  a  day  or  two,  they  may  inform  the 
occupants  that  a  complaint  has  been  made  and  that 
they  will  have  to  move.  They  do  not  return  any  of  the 
advanced  rental,  but  proceed  to  repeat  the  perform- 
ance. This  has  happened  in  connection  with  furnished 
apartments  on  such  streets  as  West  107th  and  West 
io8th. 

During  the  month  of  February,  1912,  a  woman  in- 
vestigator visited  122  real  estate  agents  for  the  alleged 
purpose  of  renting  an  apartment  for  immoral  purposes. 
In  each  case  the  investigator  endeavored  to  convey  to  the 

115 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

agent  the  object  for  which  the  apartment  was  ostensibly 
desired.  Of  the  122  agents  visited,  only  17  refused 
outright  to  be  parties  to  the  transaction.  A  few  of  these 
were  indignant,  others  said  they  had  to  be  care- 
ful, and  still  others  said  the  owners  of  the  property  were 
exceedingly  strict.  Sixty-seven  agents  agreed  to  rent 
certain  apartments  for  this  purpose  and  gave  the  investi- 
gator the  addresses  of  98  separate  apartments  where  she 
could  conduct  the  proposed  business.  Many  of  these  ad- 
dresses proved  to  be  places  where  the  present  investiga- 
tion had  already  discovered  disorderly  conditions.  The 
remaining  38  agents  were  classified  as  doubtful.  Some 
of  them  were  annoyed  because  the  investigator  openly 
hinted  her  purpose ;  they  suggested  that  they  did  not  care, 
but  would  not  knowingly  rent  the  property  in  their  charge 
for  such  a  business.  Others  pretended  to  ignore  the 
questions  of  the  investigator  and  gave  her  65  separate 
addresses  where  apartments  could  be  rented.  They  were 
willing  to  rent  apartments  of  this  character,  but  did  not 
want  to  appear  to  do  so.  A  young  man  in  a  real  estate 
office  on  Eighth  Avenue  stated  that  they  "  never  ask 
people  for  their  marriage  certificates ;  they  require  only 
that  tenants  conduct  themselves  quietly."  One  well- 
known  agent  ^^  betrayed  and  indeed  confessed  embarrass- 
ment when  frankly  told  the  purpose  for  which  it  was 
desired  to  rent  a  house.  He  remarked :  "  I  know  what 
you  wanted  the  house  for,  but  I  had  much  rather  you 
had  not  told  me.  If  I  don't  know  it,  I  don't  know  it. 
Now  suppose  you  people  are  dispossessed  and  get  on 
the  witness  stand  and  squeal,  how  would  I  look  ?  "     At 

10X552. 

116 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

a  further  conference,  the  agent  refused  to  agree  to  a 
new  lease  in  case  of  an  eviction.  "  The  only  trouble," 
he  said  to  the  stranger,  "  is  that  you  talked  too  much.  I 
knew  what  you  wanted  the  house  for,  but  I  very  much 
rather  you  had  not  told  me.  What  I  don't  know  don't 
bother  me.  I  tell  you  what  I  '11  do.  You  send  some- 
body else  up  here  in  a  week  or  so  and  I  will  give  you 
the  house  and  don't  talk  too  much  about  it." 

In  some  of  the  buildings  mentioned  in  the  course  of 
the  negotiations  here  in  question,  practically  every  apart- 
ment is  a  vice  resort.  As  many  as  i6  such  resorts  were 
found  in  one  7-story  building.  In  another,  every  apart- 
ment except  one  was  a  vice  resort,  the  one  exception 
being  the  home  of  a  butcher  who  supplied  meat  to  the 
other  tenants. 

Whatever  the  lease  may  indicate  to  the  contrary,  prop- 
erty rented  for  immoral  purposes  produces  extraordinar- 
ily large  returns.  Not  infrequently  a  high  rental  is  thus 
produced  by  houses  and  apartments  that  are  so  dilapi- 
dated that  they  cannot  be  rented  at  all  to  decent  human 
beings.  Again,  there  is  a  tacit  understanding  that  the 
rental  named  in  the  lease  is  merely  a  blind.  The  agent 
receives  an  additional  sum,  which  he  may  pocket  or  di- 
vide with  the  landlord.  The  lease  of  a  house  ^^  of  prosti- 
tution in  West  26th  Street  places  the  rental  at  $100 
a  month;  the  keeper  ^,2  pays  $150.  On  October  5th, 
19 1 2,  three  men  were  negotiating  with  a  real  estate 
agent  ^^  in  West  30th  Street,  who  agreed  to  rent  them 
two  houses  ^^  in  West  38th  Street  at  extortionate  rates. 

"X462.  12X387.  "X463.  "X  46s,  466. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

On  the  same  day,  an  Eighth  Avenue  agent  ^^  was  prom- 
ised a  bonus  of  $50  per  month  for  a  house  ^^  in  West 
28th  Street.  Occasionally  the  increased  charge  appears 
in  the  lease.  When  the  madame  ^^  of  a  West  40th  Street 
establishment  undertook  to  rent  this  house,  she  was  told 
by  the  agent  ^^  that  the  rent  would  be  $110  per  month, 
and  that  he  would  lease  the  building  to  her  for  one  year 
with  a  three  months'  clause.  Then  he  added,  "  Now  be 
frank ;  I  will  find  out  anyway.  Do  you  intend  to  do  any- 
thing up  there  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  might  take  a  chance,"  she  said. 

"  If  you  do,"  he  replied,  "  the  rent  will  be  $125  per 
month." 

On  March  9th,  1912,  at  11.30  p.  m.,  a  man  was  solic- 
ited by  two  colored  girls  to  enter  a  vice  resort  in  West 
40th  Street.^^  The  agents  ^^  of  this  building  have  of- 
fices in  West  42nd  Street.  The  building  is  5  stories  high 
and  four  families  live  on  each  floor,  paying  a  monthly 
rental  of  from  $20  to  $25.  The  street  walkers,  how- 
ever, pay  as  much  as  $40  per  month  for  their  rooms. 
Their  neighbors  ^^  declare  that  the  agent  has  knowledge 
of  the  character  of  these  tenants.  A  public  school  is 
next  door,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  is  a 
church. 

(2)       TRADING   IN    SHARES 

A  group  consisting  of  38  men  own  and  operate  28  one- 
dollar   houses   of   prostitution   in   a   certain   section  of 


«  X  467,  468. 

18  X  562. 

20  X  564. 

*«  X  469. 

i«X563. 

21  X  565. 

"XI09. 

118 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

Manhattan.^^  Among  themselves  they  trade  actively  in 
shares.  One  of  them^^  —  already  referred  to  as  the 
**  King  "  by  reason  of  the  scope  of  his  enterprises  and 
influence  —  is  said  to  own  shares  in  lo  houses,  and  his 
brother  and  nephew  each  have  a  sixth  interest  in  another 
resort  which  he  gave  them  as  a  present.  His  one-dollar 
resorts  are  located  on  the  following  streets :  —  three  on 
Sixth  Avenue,  two  each  in  West  25th  Street  and  West 
24th  Street,  and  one  each  in  West  28th  Street,^*  West 
31st  Street,^^  and  West  40th  Street.^^  He  is  also  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  $5  house  located  in  West  49th  Street.^'^  In 
some  houses  there  are  three  partners  who  are  said  also  to 
own  shares  in  other  places  of  the  same  character ;  in  one 
instance,  two  brothers  are  partners  in  two  houses  —  one 
in  Sixth  Avenue,  and  one  in  West  27th  Street.  Four 
partners  were  formerly  interested  in  a  business  conducted 
in  West  24th  Street. 

The  group  of  men  who  operate  these  28  houses  of  pros- 
titution are  very  careful  in  disposing  of  their  shares. 
The  purchaser  must  either  be  one  of  their  own  number 
or  some  relative  or  friend.  Sales  are  made  for  differ- 
ent reasons,  sometimes  to  effect  economies  in  manage- 
ment. For  example,  on  June  7th,  1912,  an  owner  ^^ 
sold  a  half  interest  in  a  Sixth  Avenue  resort  to  a  man  from 
the  West,  for  $2,200.  Thereupon  he  bought  a  one-third 
interest  in  another  house  on  Sixth  Avenue  for  $900,  be- 
ing admitted  to  the  firm  that  he  might  serve  as  lighthouse 

22  The  other  two  houses,  making  the  30  resorts  later  referred  to 
under  "  Receipts,"  are  operated  by  women. 

23  X  34.  25  X  16.  27  X  585. 
"  X  419.                                   2»  X  583.  28  X  568. 

119 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

and  procurer.  A  half-partner  ^^  was  taken  into  another 
Sixth  Avenue  house  ^'^  for  $1500.  The  low  price  was 
subsequently  accounted  for  by  the  owner  as  follows: 
"  Do  you  suppose  if  the  new  partner  had  not  had  a  good 
woman,  I  would  have  taken  him  in  for  that  sum?  I 
would  have  to  take  a  woman  in  anyway  and  give  her  at 
least  20  per  cent  of  the  profits,  without  getting  anything 
for  it  except  her  labor.  To  start  with,  I  am  getting  $1,500 
and  a  good  woman ;  I  save  $25  per  week  on  a  procurer, 
and  besides  get  a  partner  who  is  interested  in  the  house 
and  not  a  total  stranger  who  does  not  care  whether  the 
house  does  business  or  not ;  the  place  is  running  straight 
now."  While  these  two  men  were  discussing  this  eco- 
nomical move,  the  madame^^  of  a  house  in  West  40th 
Street  ^^  approached,  to  remark  that  she  had  a  good  house 
in  the  26th  police  precinct,  and  wanted  to  have  one  of  them 
come  with  her  as  a  partner,  so  that  she  could  use  his 
influence  in  making  some  very  necessary  arrangements 
looking  toward  the  success  of  the  business.  In  reply 
to  this  offer,  the  person  addressed  replied :  "  They 
(meaning  the  police  authorities)  will  not  stand  for  a  one- 
dollar  house  of  prostitution  on  that  street  and  besides  I 
have  enough,  my  hands  are  full."  Thereupon  one  of 
the  partners  in  another  resort  on  Sixth  Avenue,^^  re- 
marked that  if  she  wanted  to  pay  him  $2,000  for  his 
one-third  interest,  he  would  sell  it. 

"  Why  do  you  want  to  sell?  "  asked  the  woman. 

"  My  woman  is  very  sick,"  he  replied,  "  and  she  has 

2»  X  575.  »2  X  109. 

30X423.  33X403. 

•iXiia 

120 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

to  go  to  the  mountains;  also  her  sister  is  very  sick  and 
I  am  'broke.'" 

"How  heavy  is  business?"  she  asked. 

He  replied  that  the  house  was  "  working "  between 
$i,ooo  and  $1,200  per  week.  She  regarded  $2,000  as 
too  much  for  a  one-third  interest,  as  the  hot  months  were 
coming  on  and  business  would  probably  be  very  dull; 
however,  she  would  give  $1,500. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  '*  you  cannot  buy  my  share  for 
$1,999." 

Buyers  are  of  course  wary.  They  must  be  convinced 
that  they  are  getting  what  they  pay  for;  occasionally, 
therefore,  tentative  arrangements  are  made.  A  ma- 
dame  is  installed  until  actual  experience  proves  that  the 
property  is  worth  the  price  asked. 

The  following  transactions  were  actually  witnessed 
by  our  investigators:  On  March  3rd,  1912,  sale  of 
three  one-third  interests  in  a  Sixth  Avenue  resort  for 
$650  apiece;  March  nth,  1912,  sale  of  a  half  interest  in 
another  Sixth  Avenue  resort  for  $2,200;  March  19th,  a 
sale  of  a  one-third  interest  in  a  West  40th  Street  resort  for 
$1,500, —  a  poor  investment,  for  the  house  was  shortly 
closed;  in  July,  1912,  a  one-third  interest  in  another  re- 
sort in  West  40th  Street  was  purchased  for  $3,000  by 
an  owner,  who  transferred  his  women  thither  from  a 
place  in  28th  Street.  Occasionally  pressure  is  brought 
to  force  a  part  owner  out.  On  one  such  transaction, 
a  profit  of  $500  was  made;  in  another  a  share  was 
bought  for  $500, —  far  below  its  market  value. ^* 

'*  The  houses  and  individuals  involved  in  all  the  above  transac- 
tions are  identified  in  our  records. 

121 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Quarrels  and  disputes  between  shareholders  are 
of  frequent  occurrence.  Such  disputes  are  deplored 
among  the  more  intelligent  promoters  because  they  fear 
exposure  of  one  sort  or  another.  A  dissatisfied  share- 
holder may  "  squeal  "  to  the  police ;  or  his  woman  may 
sit  on  the  steps  of  a  rival's  resort,  calling  the  attention 
of  the  police  to  a  particular  house.  The  policy  of  the 
business  is  to  keep  everybody  satisfied  and  contented. 
Nevertheless,  misunderstandings  occur;  on  April  8th, 
igi2,  two  shareholders  were  engaged  in  a  hot  dispute ;  one 
of  them  had  been  a  silent  partner  who  never  "  came  to  the 
front "  when  extra  demands  were  made  on  the  finances 
of  the  firm,  but  left  the  other  to  pay  the  bills.  It  was 
claimed  that,  as  a  result  of  his  neglect,  the  house  was 
closed  and  an  officer  was  ordered  to  stay  inside.  The 
business  was  ruined.  Finally  the  officer  was  removed, 
whereupon  the  "  silent "  partner  wished  to  be  recognized 
as  owning  a  share.  As  the  complainant  had  borne  the 
brunt  of  the  difficulties  with  the  police,  as  well  as  the 
subsequent  losses,  he  refused;  besides,  he  had  taken  in 
two  other  men  as  partners.  The  delinquent  partner  be- 
came very  angry  and  threatened  to  send  his  woman  to 
the  house  and  to  make  all  sorts  of  trouble.  The  two  new 
partners  advised  that  he  receive  $150  and  be  declared 
"  out  for  good."  But  the  silent  partner  was  not  satis- 
fied when  he  heard  that  one  of  the  new  partners  had 
sold  his  share  for  $1,700.  So  he  demanded  $600  more 
for  his  share,  claiming  that  he  was  still  a  partner,  which 
sum  he  subsequently  received.  ^^ 

The  precarious  nature  of  such  investments,  depending, 

«»  The  parties  involved  were  X  72,  X  586,  X  69,  X  41 5- 

122 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

as  it  does,  for  its  value  on  variations  in  public  opinion  and 
municipal  policy,  can  be  illustrated  from  former  as  well 
as  current  history: 

During  the  fall  of  1907,  the  Commissioner  of  Police, 
as  well  as  the  District  Attorney,  became  very  active  in 
closing-  houses  of  prostitution  in  Manhattan.  An  owner 
who  was  put  out  of  business  at  that  time  made  the  fol- 
lowing statement,  in  substance,  in  the  presence  of  two 
witnesses : 

'*  At  the  time  I  was  put  out  of  business  by  Police 
Commissioner  Bingham  in  1907,  I  left  New  York  with 
$4,800  and  bought  a  farm  in  Jersey.  After  things  had 
cooled  down,  or  in  February,  191 1,  I  came  back  to  New 
York  to  look  the  ground  over.  Finally  things  looked  all 
right  and  I  bought  a  one-third  interest  in  a  place  in  West 
25th  Street  for  the  sum  of  $1,200.  Three  days  later, 
"  bing,"  I  get  a  raid  and  a  cop  in  front  of  the  door  for 
a  whole  month.  Then  the  cop  was  taken  away  and 
I  opened  again  for  a  few  days,  when,  "  bing,"  another 
$300  raid  with  a  cop  inside.  I  was  tipped  off  that  my 
partner  did  not  suit,  so  I  bought  her  interest  for  $600 
while  the  cop  was  still  inside.  I  then  "  doubled  up  "  with 
a  friend.  We  opened  very  slowly;  I  would  not  let  the 
women  solicit  at  the  windows.  The  weather  was  very 
hot.  In  August  I  bought  my  friend  out  for  $1,200  which 
made  me  even.  From  February  to  April,  I  paid  $100  a 
month  in  rent  and  other  expenses  and  did  n't  make  a  cent 
until  August.  Since  that  time  up  till  now  I  have  saved 
only  $9,000.  The  house  stands  me  $4,000  after  paying 
rent,  the  cost  of  the  raids,  and  the  purchase  price." 

As  already  pointed  out,  any  change  in  the  political 

123 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

situation  or  in  the  attitude  toward  the  business  on  the  part 
of  the  authorities  of  the  city,  or  a  reform  movement,  re- 
acts immediately  upon  the  value  of  the  shares  in  vice  re- 
sorts. Just  before  the  murder  of  the  gambler  Rosenthal 
last  summer,  the  shares  in  houses  of  prostitution  were  very 
valuable,  and  it  was  practically  impossible  to  secure  them 
except  at  large  prices.  On  June  4th,  a  part  owner  in  a 
house  in  West  25th  Street  declared :  "  It  is  impossible 
to  get  something  decent  unless  you  pay  a  prohibitive 
price.  I  had  to  pay  $1,700  for  a  one-third  interest  in  this 
place  and  only  to-day  I  paid  $1,000  for  a  year's  lease 
on  three  houses  in  the  same  street.  These  buildings 
have  changed  hands  seven  or  eight  times  during  the 
past  year  and  it  is  rumored  that  they  are  going  to  be 
torn  down."  ^^  On  June  19th,  1912,  the  owner  of  a 
share  in  a  Sixth  Avenue  house  told  a  man  that  the 
"  stocks  are  awful  high."  He  offered  to  sell  his  one- 
third  share,  costing  $500  originally,  for  $2,000. 

The  Rosenthal  murder  took  place  July  15,  19 12,  and 
shares  in  houses  of  prostitution  at  once  declined.  Some 
of  the  promoters  were  very  pessimistic  over  the  situa- 
tion and  declared  that  the  houses  would  be  closed  and 
their  business  ruined.  On  August  6th,  19 12,  while  dis- 
cussing the  situation,  one  of  them  ^"^  declared  that  it  was 
all  over  with  them.  His  partner  ^^  remonstrated  with  him, 
holding  that  the  authorities  would  not  close  the  houses. 
To  this  the  former  replied : 

"  Well,  I  show  you  how  much  I  think  of  it  —  I  will 
sell  my  interest  and  get  out." 

88  The  persons  and  places  are  X  407,  X  67,  X  59,  X  72-a. 
"  X  73.  38  X  72. 

124 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

**  It 's  a  go,"  said  the  other,  "  I  've  been  a  gambler  all 
my  life;  I  '11  buy  it."  The  price  paid  for  this  share  sev- 
eral months  before  was  $1,700,  and  the  same  sum  was  de- 
manded and  refused.  After  some  arguing,  the  bargain 
was  closed  at  $1,000  and  $100  was  paid  on  account. 

Prior  to  the  murder  in  question,  a  one-third  interest  in 
a  Sixth  Avenue  place  was  worth  $2,000.  On  August 
8th,  19 12,  the  owner  offered  to  sell  his  interest  for  $1,000. 

"No,"  said  the- prospective  buyer,  "I  will  give  you 
$500,  and  I  am  taking  a  gambler's  chance  in  giving  you 
that  much."  ^^ 

The  decline  in  values  has  continued  since  the  date  of 
the  above  conversations.  At  this  moment  an  interest 
in  certain  places  can  be  purchased  for  the  amount  of  a 
night's  profit. 

(3)    BUSINESS   DETAILS,    ETC. 

It  is  impossible  to  give  even  an  approximate  estimate 
of  the  receipts  from  the  business  of  prostitution  in  Man- 
hattan during  a  stated  period.  We  could  not  secure 
access  to  the  books  of  the  owners,  even  if  they  kept  ac- 
counts, which  none  do  in  a  systematic  way.  But  bits  of 
direct  evidence,  absolutely  accurate  and  reliable,  in  the 
shape  of  records  for  a  day,  a  week,  or  month  were  ob- 
tained here  and  there;  we  can  also  report  what  owners 
and  inmates  say  regarding  their  incomes.  Whatever 
allowances  are  made  for  overstatements  and  misstate- 
ments, intentional  or  accidental,  the  total  is  sufficiently 
staggering. 

The  most  eloquent  and  significant  exhibits  obtained 
»»  Persons  and  places :    X  417,  X  403,  X  69. 

125 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

were  the  cards  on  which  the  night's  business  of  the  in- 
mate is  punched.  These  casual  bits  of  information  are 
in  no  wise  exceptional.  One  shrinks  from  multiplying 
them  by  the  number  of  women  engaged,  and  the  number 
of  days  in  the  year. 

Lillie,  inmate  in  a  vice  resort  in  Sixth  Avenue  *® 
showed  the  investigator  a  white  card  in  which  were 
punched  7  holes,  each  representing  one  customer  or  serv- 
ice at  $1  apiece,  or  $7.  It  was  the  record  of  her  earnings 
during  a  period  of  six  hours  ending  at  one  a.  m.  on  March 
14th,  1912.  Of  the  $7,  Lillie  received  $3.50  as  her  share, 
from  which  amount  $1.50  was  deducted  by  the  madame 
to  pay  her  board  for  the  day. 

The  account  of  6  inmates  in  a  West  58th  Street  resort 
showed  that  on  Sunday,  April  21st,  Alma  had  earned 
$7;  Pauline,  $15;  Pansy,  $14;  Rose,  $17;  Bella,  $16; 
and  Ruth,  $15 :  a  total  of  $86,  or  an  average  of  $14  per 
day  for  each  inmate.  The  price  in  this  house  ranged 
from  $2  to  $5,  according  to  the  customer.  The  re- 
ceipts of  3  inmates  for  another  day  in  April  were,  Rose, 
$49;  Alma,  $16;  and  Ruth,  $30:  a  total  of  $95,  or  an 
average  for  the  day  of  $31  per  inmate.  The  receipts 
on  May  3rd,  1912,  were  as  follows:  Rose,  $28;  Bella, 
$21 ;  Alma,  $13 ;  Pansy,  $4:  a  total  of  $66,  or  an  average 
of  over  $16  per  day  per  inmate.  For  the  week  April 
22-28  inclusive  the  receipts  from  4  to  6  inmates  were  as 
follows : 

Monday,  April  22nd,  19 12,  $50 
Tuesday,  April  23rd,  19 12,  38 
Wednesday,  April  24th,  191 2,     34 

«»  X  751. 

126 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

Thursday,     April  25th,   19 12,  $39 
Friday,  April  26th,  19 12,     54 

Saturday,      April  27th,   19 12,     53 
Sunday,         April  28th,   19 12,     57 
This  gives  a  total  of  $325  or  an  average  of  about  $46 
per  day. 

Sixteen  white  cards  were  obtained  from  a  dollar  house 
in  West  28th  Street  showing  the  earnings  per  inmate  on 
July  9th,  1912.  "  Babie  "  is  credited  with  $27;  Buster, 
$30;  a  girl  whose  name  is  not  readable,  $27;  Charlotte, 
$23;  Dolly,  $20;  Dorothy,  $11;  Minnie,  $15;  Eva,  $16; 
one  whose  name  is  not  given,  $15;  another,  name  not 
given,  $14;  another,  $10;  others  whose  names  are 
omitted,  $14,  $14,  $9,  $8,  $11  respectively.  The  total  is 
$264  or  an  average  of  about  $16  per  inmate  for  the 
day.  The  madame  when  paying  the  inmates  the  one- 
half  due  them  for  their  day's  work  always  deducted  the 
sum  of  $1.50  for  board. 

In  the  figures  above  given,  there  is  no  element  of  doubt 
whatsoever:  they  are  taken  from  the  actual  records  of 
the  day's  business, —  the  cards  in  the  possession  of  every 
inmate.  Whether  they  can  be  regarded  as  fairly  repre- 
sentative is  another  question,  which  it  would  be  futile 
to  discuss.  We  possess,  however,  certain  totals,  the 
precise  reliability  of  which  the  reader  must  judge  for 
himself.  It  has  been  stated  that  our  investigators 
succeeded  in  establishing  themselves  on  an  intimate  foot- 
ing with  those  most  prominently  concerned  in  the  com- 
mercial exploitation  of  prostitution.  They  took  part  in 
conferences,  and  could  discuss  business  and  its  prospects 
without   suspicion.    From   time   to   time   these   agents 

127 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

found  themselves  in  position  to  canvass  freely  the  ques- 
tion of  returns,  past,  present  and  future.  The  approxi- 
mate estimates  of  the  value  of  the  various  properties  prior 
to  the  Rosenthal  murder;  and  the  main  items  of  expense 
incurred  in  their  conduct  were  set  down  as  thus  obtained. 
In  regard  to  the  general  credibility  of  the  figures  it  is  to 
be  remembered  that  these  men  are  decidedly  communica- 
tive among  themselves  and  that  any  exaggerated  depart- 
ure from  probability  would  have  drawn  forth  expressions 
of  skepticism  or  disbelief ;  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  pre- 
tended that  the  figures  are  more  than  roughly  significant 
of  the  scope  and  profits  of  a  fluctuating  trade;  they  are 
given  for  what  they  are  worth. 


TABLE    SHOWING   APPROXIMATE   MONTHLY    RECEIPTS    FROM    IN- 
MATES,   MONTHLY    EXPENSES,    NUMBER    OF    INMATES, 
NUMBER  OF  MADAMES.  ETC.,  IN  30  ONE-DOLLAR  HOUSES. 


Location 
of  house 


m 


m 


(U     5     «     3 

3  2  6  a      o|   d:2  6  2 

°z    ;z:e  z;-2  ^g  ^i 


1  = 


No.  —  W.  i8 $  3,6oo  $  814 


M   «   4€ 


24 3.200  73S 

35  3.200  606 

'25  4,000  839 

"  ~  25  3.-227  70s 

„  „  «S  3.000  S7I 

*  "  28  2,800  729 

"  "  28  3,000  821 

"  "  31  2,800  516 

"  "  35  2,400  788 

"     40 1,200  27s 

"  40  1,000  293 

"  "  40  2,000  628 

"  ."  S6  3.200  797 

Sutth  Ave." 2,400  691 

"    "    3,600  689 


18 

17 

16 

24 

20 

9 

17 

16 

12 

14 

4 

6 


14 
19 


$5 


100  S. 


,000  S. 


4,400  s. 


*i  The  girl  gets  one-half,  the  house  one-half. 

■*2  The  effort  is  made  to  meet  these  expenses  by  the  charge  trade 
for  board — a  charge  paid  by  the  inmates  out  of  their  "  half." 

*'  From  this  point  to  the  end  of  the  table,  shops  occupy  the  first 
floors  of  the  buildings  named. 

128 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 


Location 
of  house 


No.    Sixth    Ave. 


No.  —  W.  24 


Total 


*>  n  P. 

»2« 


^ 


2,400 
2,000 
3.200 
1,200 
3,200 
3,600 
2,800 

2,000 


26  .. 

.    3,700 

27    .. 

•     3.000 

28  .. 

•     3.000 

28  .. 

1,200 

36  .. 

•      3.000 

36  .. 

.     2,800 

=■3 
ffil 


733 

593 
5SS 
437 
667 

847 
627 

674 

819 
570 
741 
441 
748 
706 


m  -»  _  w 

drt      0%      o"^      oO 

:z:S    ^5-5    !z;2    ^| 


o 


14 


S 
IS 


IS 


16 
16 
8 
16 
IS 


2'w 


6,000   S. 

3.7s'o    S. 

10,000  B. 
\  2,500.  S. 
( 3,200    S. 


3,000  s. 


Ji,727     $19,655     432       50       87       24      6s 


Similar  data  were  also  procured  —  and  in  substantially 
the  same  manner  —  for  eight  five-dollar  houses.^^ 

TABLE  SHOWING  APPROXIMATE  MONTHLY  RECEIPTS 

OF  HOUSES  FROM  INMATES,  MONTHLY  EXPENSES, 

NUMBER  INMATES,  NUMBER  MADAMES,  ETC.,  IN 

8  FIVE-DOLLAR  HOUSES. 


House  re- 

Lowest 

Location 

ceipts 

House  ex- 

No. in 

-     No. 

No. 

price  of 

of  house    St. 

(i  fees) 

penses 

mates 

madames 

maids 

service 

No.— W.  38  . 

. .  .$  2,400 

$871 

12 

2 

4 

$3 

;;     "  41  . 

...     1,800 

924 

10 

2 

3 

5 

46  . 

. . .     2,800 

938 

14 

2 

3 

5 

"     "  46  . 

. . .     3,200 

952 

16 

2 

5 

5 

;;     "  46  . 

...     1,800 

760 

12 

I 

4 

5 

"     "  47  . 

. . .     3,000 

871 

IS 

2 

3 

,  s 

"       "    49  . 

. . .     1,800 

878 

12 

2 

3 

\l 

"        "     52  . 

. . .     1,600 

885 

9 

2 

3 

5 

Total   $18,400         $7,079         100         IS         28 

Ten  disorderly  tenements  were  studied  in  the  same 
way,  with  the  following  results :  ^* 

**  For  itemized  account  of  certain  expenses,  see  Appendix  VI,  p. 
280. 

*5  For  itemized  account  of  certain  expenses,  see  Appendix  V,  p.  279. 

129 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

TABLE  SHOWING  APPROXIMATE  MONTHLY  RECEIPTS 

FROM  INMATES,  MONTHLY  EXPENSES,   NUMBER 

INMATES  AND  NUMBER  MAIDS  IN  10  DIS- 

ORDERLY  APARTMENTS. 

House  receipts 
Location  St.       (ifees) 

No.~W.  43 $  500 

45 600 

49 700 

SO 700 

55 600 

58 800 

58 800 

58 1,000 

60 500 

65 600 


House 

No. 

No. 

expenses 

inmates 

maids 

$   189 

3 

I 

235 

3 

I 

259 

264 
261 

4 
4 
4 

2 

a 

143 

4 

3 

175 

4 

a 

440 
208 

5 
3 

a 
a 

144 

3 

X 

Total    $6,800  $2,318  37  17 

We  have  deliberately  refrained  from  attempting  to 
make  even  an  approximate  calculation  on  the  basis  of  the 
foregoing  tables  of  the  profits  annually  derived  from  com- 
mercialized prostitution  in  New  York  City.  But  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  will  suggest  the  enormous  sums  involved. 
If,  for  example,  the  table  dealing  with  thirty  parlor 
houses,  i.  e.,  less  than  one-half  of  those  investigated,  even 
roughly  represents  the  monthly  volume  of  business,  over 
$2,000,000  a  year  are  paid  to  their  inmates,  one-half  of 
which  is  at  once  paid  over  to  the  houses ;  the  running  ex- 
penses of  the  houses  are  about  one-quarter  of  a  million ; 
but  the  profits  are  not  reduced  by  this  sum,  for  the  pay- 
ments of  the  inmates  for  board  and  lodging  are  supposed 
to  be  equal  to  the  expense  of  conducting  the  establishment. 
Moreover,  the  estimates  above  given  entirely  omit  certain 
very  important  indirect  sources  of  revenue, —  for  large 
profits  are  derived  from  the  sale  of  liquor,  tobacco,  lewd 
pictures,    booklets,    verse    and    other    reading    matter. 

130 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

Finally,  patrons  often  tip  lavishly,  leaving  "  gift  "  or 
"  luck  "  money,  and  in  innumerable  other  ways  add  to  the 
revenue  of  the  resorts.  The  total  expenditure  incurred 
and  the  net  profit  to  the  exploiters,  therefore,  run  high  up 
into  the  millions  annually.^® 

A  partial  confirmation  of  the  scale  of  the  estimates 
above  given  is  furnished  by  the  following  incident: 

During  the  evening  of  May  3,  19 12,  one  of  the 
owners  of  a  house  of  prostitution  in  West  25th  Street 
was  trying  to  sell  a  one-third  interest  in  his  one-dollar  re- 
sort. He  had  written  on  a  sheet  of  brown  wrapping  pa- 
per the  receipts  and  expenses  for  one  month  in  connection 
with  the  business  in  this  house.  This  document  is  in  our 
possession.  The  items  which  interest  us  in  this  connec- 
tion are  receipts  for  four  weeks  and  two  days,  or  30  days 
in  all :  First  week's  receipts,  $1,735 ;  second  week,  $1,612 ; 
third  week,  $1,463  ;  fourth  week,  $1,401 ;  two  days,  $243  ; 
making  a  total  of  $6,454  for  the  thirty  days,  or  an  aver- 
age of  about  $215  per  day.  The  average  number  of  in- 
mates in  this  house  is  15.  In  that  case,  each  inmate 
earned  $15,  that  is,  received  15  men  each  day. 

The  income  of  the  street  walker  is  probably  subjected 
to  greater  fluctuations  than  that  of  the  house  or  flat 
inmate,  weather  and  other  conditions  greatly  affecting 
her  earnings.  It  is  therefore  impossible  to  gain  any 
conception  of  the  volume  of  money  that  changes  hands 
in  consequence  of  street  business.  Samples  are,  how- 
ever, available ;  the  account  book  which  was  secured  from 
a  young  prostitute,  neither  very  aggressive  nor  very  at- 

*«  For  itemized  statement  of  certain  expenses,  similarly  obtained, 
see  Appendix  IV,  p.  278. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

] 
tractive,  who  solicits  on  East  14th  Street  and  receives  usu-        i 

ally  one  dollar  for  her  services,  runs  as  follows :  ii 

Wednesday     $7.50  i 

Thursday    7.00  j 

Friday     9.00  \ 

Saturday    9.50 

Sunday    4.50 

Monday    7.50 

Tuesday    8.cx)  j 

a  total  of  $53.  ■ 

The  items  for  the  next  seven  days  are  as  follows:  i 

Wednesday $  6.50 

Thursday 6.50  ^ 

Friday 7.00  | 

Saturday 12.00  j 

Sunday 10.00  j 

Monday 9.00  j 

Tuesday 6.00  < 

a  total  of  $57.  ; 

The  following  six  days'  receipts  were  as  follows :  ; 

Wednesday $6.00  ; 

Thursday    6.00  ] 

Friday 3.50  : 

Saturday   8.00  j 

Sunday   5.50  | 

Monday S-OO  1 

a  total  of  $34.  ] 

The  following  seven  days'  receipts  are:  j 

Wednesday $6.00  ^ 

Thursday    5-00  J 

Friday 300  | 

133  i 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

Saturday 7.00 

Sunday    8.00 

Monday    6.00 

Tuesday    6.00 

$41  in  all. 

There  were  only  five  more  days  accounted  for,  when 
the  girl  ceased  to  keep  any  record  of  her  receipts: 

Wednesday     3.50 

Thursday    2.00 

Friday 5.50 

Saturday 4.50 

Sunday    10.50 

the  total  of  these  five  days  being  $26. 

Thus  in  32  days,  this  poorly  dressed,  rather  ignorant 
and  unsophisticated  street  walker,  earned  $211,  an  aver- 
age of  between  $6  and  $7  per  day. 

Practically  all  the  figures  in  the  above  concern  profits 
derived  from  the  sale  of  the  bodies  of  women.  In  addi- 
tion, the  exploiters  —  owners  and  madames  mainly  — 
derive  further  gain  (by  no  means  inconsiderable  in 
amount)  from  such  items  as  the  sale  to  their  women,  at 
exorbitant  prices,  of  clothing  and  other  feminine  require- 
ments. Huge  as  these  immediate  profits  of  exploitation 
are,  they  are  enormously  increased  by  the  vast  sums 
made  from  the  sale  of  intoxicating  drinks,  which  business 
has  been  shown  to  be  so  closely  allied  with  prostitution, 
and  by  abnormal  rentals  received  for  the  use  of  all  kinds 
of  property  for  purposes  of  prostitution.  Even  then,  the 
stupendous  although  unknown  figure  involved  in  the 
maintenance  of  this  army  of  upwards  of  15,000  women  in 
New  York  City  fails  to  indicate  what  prostitution  costs 

133 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

society.  For  perhaps  the  greatest  cost  of  all  is  yet 
to  be  mentioned,  namely,  disease.  Wherever  prostitu- 
tion exists,  there  venereal  disease  flourishes, —  maiming, 
incapacitating  the  participants  surely,  and  not  infre- 
quently innocent  ones  in  close  association  with  them. 

Reliable  and  complete  statistics  as  to  the  prevalence 
of  venereal  disease,  its  consequences  immediate  and  re- 
mote, are  not  to  be  had.  In  the  absence  of  compulsory 
reporting,  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  number  of 
cases  under  treatment  by  physicians ;  in  addition  to  these, 
large  numbers  endeavor  to  conceal  the  truth  by  foolishly 
resorting  to  quacks,  advertised  nostrums,  etc.  Figures 
obtainable  from  hospitals  represent,  therefore,  only  a  frac- 
tion, probably  an  inconsiderable  fraction,  of  those  af- 
flicted ;  as  far  as  they  go,  a  careful  study  elicits  the  fol- 
lowing facts: 

During  the  year  191 1,  ^22,^22  cases  of  all  kinds  were 
treated  in  17  dispensaries  in  New  York  City;  15,781,  or 
3.01  percent  of  these  cases,  were  venereally  affected.  The 
hospitals  of  the  city  possess  few  beds  for  the  reception  of 
venereal  patients;  nevertheless,  5,380  persons  —  6.33  per 
cent  of  all  cases  treated  in  13  different  hospitals  —  were 
•venereally  affected,  about  two-thirds  male,  one-third  fe- 
male. These  infections  occur  at  any  time  from  the  first  to 
the  seventieth  year, —  the  period  of  greatest  frequency  be- 
ing between  16  and  30  years  of  age :  between  16  and  20, 
796  were  males  and  369  females ;  between  21  and  25,  1,182 
and  454,  respectively;  between  26  and  30,  692  and  268. 

For  several  reasons  these  figures  are  far  from  suggest- 
ing the  actual  extent  of  venereal  infection, —  in  the  first 
place,  because,  as  above  stated,  the  hospitals  receive  but  a 

134 


The  Business  of  Prostitution;  Its  Cost 

fraction  of  the  sufferers;  in  the  second,  because  accurate 
diagnosis  has  only  recently  become  feasible.  The  per- 
centages increase  heavily  as  soon  as  the  more  delicate  and 
reliable  tests  devised  by  Wassermann  and  others  are  ap- 
plied. For  example,  308  adults  were  admitted  to  the 
medical  wards  of  a  certain  New  York  hospital  during  the 
months  of  January,  February,  and  March,  1913;  though 
the  Wassermann  test  for  syphilis  was  made  in  the  case  of 
only  166  of  these,  38,  i.  e.,  23  percent  of  those  examined, 
gave  positive  results;  this  is  equivalent  to  12.3  percent  of 
the  entire  308.  Had  the  test  been  applied  to  all  adults 
admitted,  undoubtedly  the  ratio  of  s)^hilitic  infection 
would  have  been  higher  still.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
test  as  usually  performed  does  not  disclose  all  cases  of 
infection;  so  that  the  prevalence  of  disease  is  actually 
greatier  than  the  tests  indicate. 

The  civil  state  of  the  patients  in  the  cases  first  men- 
tioned is  shown  in  the  following  table: 

Males  Females 

single        married        widowers  single        married        widows 

640  2950  57  589  802  90 

From  the  standpoint  of  occupation,  every  social 
class  is  represented, —  necessarily  so,  inasmuch  as  every 
social  class  figures  in  the  phenomena  of  prostitution. 
The  occupations  given  by  male  patients  were  as  follows : 
professional,  52;  clerical  and  official,  307;  mercantile 
and  trading,  250;  public  entertainment,  120;  personal 
service,  police  and  military,  186;  laboring  and  servant, 
1,181 ;  manufacturing  and  mechanical  industry,  932;  ag- 
ricultural,   transportation,    and   other   outdoor   employ- 

135 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

ments,  645 ;  no  occupations,  58 ;  classified  as  unknown,  8 ; 
children,  11;  congenital  origin,  31;  schoolboys,  10;  stu- 
dents, 10.  The  occupations  of  female  patients  are  as  fol- 
lows: professional,  46;  domestic  and  personal  1,144; 
trade  and  transportation,  109;  manufacturing  and  me- 
chanical, 86;  no  occupations,  72;  unknown,  9;  school- 
girls, 21;  children,  yd. 

In  respect  to  the  disease  with  which  they  were  af- 
flicted, 413  of  the  1,563  females  suffered  from  syphilis; 
1,036  from  gonorrhoea;  9  from  chancroids,  and  105  from 
complications.  Eight  hundred  and  eighty-three  of  the 
men  were  suffering  from  syphilis;  1,445  from  gonorrhoea; 
203  from  chancroids,  and  1,276  from  complications. 

It  needs  no  argument  to  show  that  the  cost  of  prostitu- 
tion is  enormously  augmented  even  by  the  amount  of 
disease  accounted  for  in  the  preceding  discussion;  as 
this  represents  but  a  small  part  of  the  whole,  the  totals 
thus  reached  require  to  be  multiplied  by  a  large  factor. 
But  the  reckoning  would  still  be  incomplete,  even  if  we 
knew  the  actual  volume  of  syphilis,  gonorrhoea  and 
chancre;  for  there  would  remain  to  be  included  the 
remote  effects,  not  less  certainly  due  to  venereal  affec- 
tion, and  even  more  fateful  and  costly  than  the  imme- 
diate manifestations, —  paralysis,  sterility,  miscarriage, 
deformity,  degeneracy,  insanity, —  curses  that  stretch 
even  "  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generations."  From 
the  effort  to  translate  such  losses  into  dollars  and  cents, 
the  boldest  calculator  may  well  shrink:  yet  they  are 
a  part, —  a  certain,  inevitable  part  —  of  the  cost  of  prosti- 
tution. 


136 


CHAPTER  VII 

PROSTITUTION,   THE   POLICE,   AND  THE   LAW 

In  respect  to  vice  and  vice  resorts,  the  police  rules 
require  that  each  police  captain  must  report  to  the  Com- 
missioner all  places  in  his  precinct  where  disorderly,  de- 
graded or  lawless  people  congregate,  and  also  give  notice 
in  writing  to  the  owner,  lessee  or  occupant,  that  such 
room  or  building  is  so  used,  and  that  such  use  consti- 
tutes a  misdemeanor.  If  the  owner,  lessee,  or  occupant 
does  not  abate  the  nuisance,  the  captain  is  empowered  to 
obtain  a  warrant  for  his  arrest  and  to  prosecute  him  as 
required  by  law.  In  addition,  each  captain  is  required 
to  make  charges  of  neglect  of  duty  against  any  patrol- 
man who  fails  to  discover  a  serious  breach  of  peace 
on  his  post,  or  fails  to  arrest  any  person  guilty  of  such 
offense.  If  a  house  is  under  suspicion  of  being  dis- 
orderly or  is  so  in  fact,  the  officer  on  the  beat  is  required 
to  restrain  acts  of  disorder,  prevent  soliciting  from  win- 
dows, doors,  or  on  the  streets,  and  to  arrest  all  persons 
so  doing.  He  must  also  carefully  observe  all  other 
places  of  suspicious  nature,  obtain  evidence  as  to  the 
character  and  ownership  of  such  houses  and  report  the 
same  to  his  commanding  officer.^ 

Between  January  i  and  August  i,  1912,  police  captains 

1  For  Rules  and  Regulations  made  pursuant  to  charter  provisions, 
see  Appendix  VIII,  p.  283. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

in  Manhattan  reported  to  the  department  112  separate 
places  as  suspicious  or  disorderly ;  against  these,  they  made 
542  complaints.  Seven  complaints  were  made  against  one 
place  in  the  5th  precinct,  46  against  9  places  in  the  i6th 
precinct,  180  against  35  places  in  the  23rd.  The  police 
activities  are  tabulated  in  the  following  table :  ^ 

POLICE  REPORTS  No.  of  Places 

Precinct  No,  Reports  Involved 

5    7 I 

6    8  4 

12    5  3 

15    46 9 

16 9 3 

18 81  IS 

21    20  6 

22    34  10 

23  180 35 

26  IDS  15 

28 5  I 

36  3  3 

39  21   3 

43  18  4 

Totals  542  112 

The  following  table  distributes  the  places  reported  ac- 
cording to  the  character  of  the  resort  and  the  precinct:, 

POLICE  REPORTS 

Prostitu-  Assig- 

tion  nation  Disorderly 

Precincts  Places  Houses  Places  Total 

I 
a 

5  X  ..  ..  I 

6  ..  ..  4  4 

I         :: 

10 

12  3 

2  This  table  was  compiled  for  the  Aldermanic  Committee  appointed 
to  investigate  the  police  department,  which  fact  explains  why  the 
period  does  not  coincide  with  that  of  our  own  investigations.  The 
table  is  a  matter  of  public  record. 

138 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 


POLICE  REPORTS— Continued 
Prostitu-  Assig- 


tion 

nation 

Disorderly 

Precincts 

Places 

Houses 

Places 

Tota 

13 

. , 

, , 

14 

•  • 

, . 

15 

•  • 

9 

9 

16 

3 

3 

17 

, , 

. . 

18 

IS 

21 

I 

5 

6 

22 

9 

1 

10 

23 

25 

S 

35 

25 

. . 

, . 

26 

15 

15 

28 

I 

29 

31 

32 

33 

35 

36 

3 

3 

39 

3 

3 

40 

43 

4 

4 

Totals  64  14  34  112 

On  the  basis  of  both  months  and  precincts  these  reports 
are  distributed  thus : 


POLICE  REPORTS 


Separate 
Places — 
Precincts  Jan.    Feb.    Mar.  Apr.    May    June  July    Total    Total 


I 

., 

•  •< 

^ , 

2 

.  .1 

s 

1 

I 

I 

I 

7 

I 

6 

4 

4 

8 

4 

7 

, . 

. , 

8 

. . 

, . 

10 

. . 

, , 

. . 

12 

I 

2 

r 

I 

5 

3 

13 

14 

. . 

. . 

15 

9 

9 

8 

6 

6 

4 

4 

46 

9 

16 

3 

3 

3 

9 

3 

18 

15 

II 

II 

II 

II 

II 

II 

81 

15 

21 

6 

5 

5 

I 

I 

20 

6 

139 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

POLICE  REPORTS— ConfmM^rf  Separate 

Places — 
Precincts  Jan.    Feb.  Mar.   Apr.    May    June  July    Total    Total 

22  2         3  3  3  6         9         8        34  lo 

23  27   29   28   22   24   24   26   180    35 

25    

26  15  IS  IS  IS  IS  15  IS  los  IS 
28..  iiiii..  S  I 
29    •'    

31         

32         

33  

35  

36  3        3  3 

39  3333333        21  3 

40         

43  4422222        18  4 

Totals  93   90   81   66   70   71   71   542   112 

It  would  appear  thus  that  in  the  fifth  precinct  the  same 
house  is  reported  month  after  month;  in  the  i8th,  11 
houses  are  reported  during  five  of  the  6  months ;  in  the 
26th  precinct,  15  houses  are  systematically  and  regularly 
denounced. 

Our  own  investigation  began  approximately  three 
weeks  later  than  the  above  tables  and  ran  three  months 
longer.  In  its  course,  our  investigators  reported  429 
parlor  houses,  massage  parlors,  furnished  room  houses 
and  hotels ;  and  379  saloons  and  miscellaneous  places  al- 
lied with  prostitution.  The  429  resorts  first  mentioned 
are  distributed  as  follows : 


INVESTIGATORS'  REPORTS      Total  in- 


Parlor 
Precincts  houses 
I 


Massage 
parlors 


vesti- 
Furnished  gation 

rooms       Hotels    Addresses 


140 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 


ESTIGi 

\TOR 

'S  ] 

REPORT 

S — Continut 

?i 

Total  in- 
vesti- 

Parlor Massage 

Furnished 

gation 

Precincts  houses 

parlors 

rooms 

Hotels 

Addresses 

8 

, . 

,  , 

lO 

. . 

12 

3 

3 

^3 

I 

2 

3 

H 

2 

2 

15 

II 

19 

9 

39 

i6 

I 

I 

17 

I 

2 

3 

i8 

21 

8 

10 

8 

47 

21 

3 

5 

12 

20 

22 

22 

3 

41 

7 

73 

23 

35 

23 

14 

21 

93 

25 

I 

I 

2 

S 

26 

29 

17 

10 

16 

72 

28 

8 

2 

5 

16 

29 

.. 

9 

3 

12 

32 

I 

.. 

I 

2 

33 

. . 

36 

. . 

ID 

10 

39 

5 

2 

I 

8 

40 

43 

3 

6 

ID 

Totals 

142 

70 

112 

105 

429 

The  379  saloons  and  miscellaneous  places  allied  with 
prostitution  were  discovered  in  the  following  precincts : 


Precincts 


Saloons,  etc.,  and 
miscellaneous 
places  allied 
with  prostitution       Precincts 


I  2 

2 

5 

6 II 

7    

8    

10    

12    


Saloons,  etc.,  and 
miscellaneous 
places  allied 

with  prostitution 


13  4 

14  2 

15  26 

16  7 

17  

18  26 

21  17 

22 45 


141 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Precincts 


23 

25 

26 
28 
29 
32 


Saloons,  etc.,  and 

miscellaneous 

places  allied 

with  prostitution 

39 

14 

61 

16 

2 

23 


Precincts 


33 
36 
39 
40 

43 


Saloons,  etc.,  and 

miscellaneous 

places  allied 

with  prostitution 

I 

26 

29 

4 

24 


Total 


.379 


Comparison  of  the  police  reports  with  those  made  by 
our  investigators  shows  marked  differences.  For  ex- 
ample :  in  the  sixth  precinct,  the  police  report  4  addresses, 
our  agents  18,  of  which  11  were  saloons,  etc. ;  in  the  15th, 
the  police  found  9,  our  agents  65,  twenty-six  of  them  sa- 
loons, etc. ;  in  the  21st,  the  police  gave  6,  our  agents  37, 
seventeen  of  them  saloons,  etc. ;  in  the  22nd,  the  police 
report  10,  our  agents  118,  forty-five  of  them  saloons;  in 
the  26th,  15  and  133  respectively,  61  of  the  latter  being 
saloons,  etc. ;  in  the  28th,  one  place  is  noted  by  the  police, 
32  by  our  agents,  16  of  them  saloons,  etc. ;  in  the  32nd, 
none  by  the  police,  25  by  our  agents,  23  of  them  saloons, 
fete. ;  in  the  33rd  precinct  none  is  reported  by  police,  one 
by  our  agents. 

In  the  following  table,  both  sets  of  reports  are  ar- 
ranged side  by  side  in  tabular  form,  all  forms  of  disorderly 
resorts  being  grouped  together : 


Precinct 


No.  disorderly 
places  reported 
by  police 
Jan.  I — Aug.  I,  1912. 

0  

I   

4  

142 


No.  disorderly 

places  found  by 

our  investigators 

from  Jan.  24 — 

Nov.  15, 1912. 

2 


3 
18 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

No.  disorderly 
No.  disorderly  places  found  by 

places  reported  our  investigators 

by  police  from  Jan.  24 — 

Jan.  I — Aug.  I,  1912  Nov.  15,  1912 

12 3  3 

13 o  7 

14 o 4 

15 9  6s 

16 3  8 

17 o  3 

18 15  n 

21  6  Z7 

22 10 1 18 

2Z 35  132 

25 o 19 

26 15  133 

28 I  32 

29 o  14 

32 o  25 

33 o  I 

36 3  36 

39 3  yj 

40 o  4 

43  4  34 

Totals 112  808 

Tenement  resorts  are  not  included  in  the  preceding 
data.  In  the  year  19 12,  the  police  reported  to  the  Tene- 
ment House  Department  as  vicious  138  separate  ad- 
dresses, in  which  they  had  made  153  arrests, —  65  of 
these  arrests  in  two  precincts,  the  13th  and  the  15th; 
from  247  other  sources,  the  department  learned  of  211 
addresses :  in  all,  349  separate  places  were  reported.^ 
Our  own  agents  discovered  1,172  separate  disorderly 
apartments  in  tenements  at  578  separate  addresses  be- 
tween January  24th  and  November  15th. 

In  the  following  table,  both  sets  of  reports  are  com- 

^  In  40  of  these  cases,  the  complaint  was  dismissed  as  having  "  No 
basis."  In  194  cases,  the  cause  of  complaint  was  removed,  and  in  8 
cases  no  action  was  necessary.  In  6  cases,  a  violation  was  held. 
Police  made  arrests  in  153  of  these  cases. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

bined,  according  to  precincts ;  the  tenement  house  reports 
cover  the  entire  year  (January-December  31,  19 12), 
ours  only  the  period  of  investigation  (January  24- 
November  15,  1912)  : 


TENEMENT  HOUSE  DEPARTMENT 

RECORDS 

1 

Complaints  from 

Police  Reports 

all 

joMrc^.y 

Investigation 

including  police 

Reports 

No.  sepa- 

No. sepa- 

No. sepa 

-  No.  sepa- 

rate 

No. 

rate 

rate  ad- 

rate disor- 

No. 

buildings 

com- 

bldgs. 

dresses 

ly  apart- 

Preci 

I 

nets  reports  involved 

plaints 

involved 

(Bldgs.)     ments 

2 

I 

I 

2 

2 

I 

I 

6 

3 

2 

4 

4 

5 

9 

7 

I 

I 

2 

2 

I 

I 

8 

, . 

. . 

, , 

10 

2 

2 

2 

2 

. , 

, , 

12 

5 

5 

6 

5 

I 

I 

13 

27 

23 

38 

28 

ID 

10 

14 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

3 

IS 

38 

35 

46 

42 

58 

69 

16 

I 

I 

4 

4 

2 

2 

17 

4 

4 

IS 

14 

5 

5 

18 

3 

I 

25 

26 

21 

3 

2 

7 

4 

6 

6 

22 

4 

4 

18 

15 

75 

123 

23 

3 

3 

8 

7 

28 

44 

% 

12 

10 

13 

II 

I 
102 

2 
396 

28 

14 

12 

17 

13 

95 

164 

29 

31 

I 

3 

3 

3 

3 

32 

16 

14 

22 

18 

85 

206 

33 

35 

2 

2 

2 

5 

30 

12 

II 

14 

13 

58 

81 

39 

3 

3 

4 

4 

40 

I 

I 

43 

6 

"e 

16 

16 

10 

II 

Totals    153 

138 

247 

211 

578 

I172 

144 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 


During  the  same  period,  794  separate  saloons  and  con- 
cert halls  were  investigated,  of  which  almost  one-half, 
—  308  —  were  found  disorderly ;  in  addition  to  which, 
91  miscellaneous  places  of  a  disorderly  character  were 
reported.  The  distribution  of  such  disorderly  places 
by  precincts  was  as  follows: 


Miscellaneous  Places 

Total 

Separate 

disorderly 

disorderly 

Allied 

Semi- 

saloons,  etc. 

saloons, 

with 

public 

and  miscel- 

concert 

prosti- 

used by 

laneous 

Precincts 

halls,  etc. 

tution 

prostitutes 

places 

I 

2 

2 

2 

. , 

, , 

I 

5 

. . 

, . 

6 

II 

, , 

7 

, , 

, , 

8 

. . 

. . 

10 

• . 

>  •* 

12 

, , 

13 

4 

4 

14 

2 

2 

15 

II 

15 

26 

16 

7 

7 

17 

, . 

18 

is 

8 

26 

21 

13 

4 

17 

22 

38 

7 

I 

46 

23 

26 

13 

5 

44 

25 

12 

2 

, , 

14 

26 

50 

II 

3 

64 

28 

15 

I 

3 

19 

29 

2 

I 

3 

31 

, , 

32 

20 

3 

S 

28 

33 

I 

, , 

I 

35 

. . 

,  , 

36 

'26 

. . 

I 

27 

39 

26 

3 

. . 

29 

40 

3 

X 

, , 

4 

43 

23 

I 

24 

Totals 


308 


71 


399 


The  total  number  of  actual  vice  resorts  of  all  kinds 

145 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

discovered  in  Manhattan  was  i,6o6,  situated  at  1,007 
different  addresses;  in  the  26th  precinct,  174  were  found, 
—  29  parlor  houses,  17  massage  parlors,  102  tenement 
resorts,  10  furnished  room  houses,  16  hotels;  in  the 
22nd  precinct,  148  disorderly  places  were  located,  22 
parlor  houses,  3  massage  rooms,  75  tenement  resorts, 
41  furnished  room  houses,  7  hotels. 

The  investigator  who  succeeds  in  establishing  himself 
on  a  footing  of  unsuspected  familiarity  in  the  under- 
world is  soon  admitted  to  confidences  which  show  how  the 
underworld  accounts  to  itself  for  the  comparative  sta- 
tistics above  given.  The  credibility  of  the  confidences  in 
question  each  reader  must  decide  for  himself.  Among 
themselves,  as  has  already  been  pointed  out,  owners, 
madames  and  women  talk  freely.  The  conversations 
overheard  are  not  staged,  nor  are  they  exceptional  in 
character.  Our  agents  participated  in  and  reported  in  the 
form  of  affidavits  frequent  conversations  and  discussions, 
in  which  the  relations  between  police  and  promoters 
formed  the  main  or  sole  topic.  Whether  the  details  are 
literally  accurate  or  not  these  conversations,  reported  from 
all  sections  of  the  city,  and  by  different  observers,  work- 
ing independently  of  one  another,  at  least  portray  the 
state  of  feeling  and  opinion  of  the  participants  and  their 
like. 

On  March  7,  1912,  a  group  of  men*  interested  in  a 
West  26th  Street  house '^  were  discussing  prospects. 
"  Profits  are  not  what  they  used  to  be,"  complained  one 
of  them.  "  I  used  to  be  able  to  bank  $600  or  more 
every  week.     To-day  my  receipts  are  $1,500  a  week, 

*  X  387,  X  387-a,  X  424-a,  X  596.  "  X  462. 

146 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

but  see, —  thirteen  plain  clothes  men  ^  get  $io  a  month 
each ;  one  of  them,  a  tough  proposition,  gets  $25 ; 
two  patrolmen  get  $2  each  a  day;  the  lieutenant  and 
sergeant  get  $5  a  month;  besides,  regular  protection 
costs  $100  a  month,  paid  to  a  go-between,"^  once  a  ward- 
man.  And  then  I  've  got  to  buy  tickets  and  contribute 
to  funds  for  strong  arm  guys  in  trouble." 

Mysteriously  rapid  communication  of  inside  informa- 
tion as  to  police  policy  and  movements  is  a  frequent 
theme.  A  well-known  owner  was  in  conference  with  his 
mates  on  March  21,  1912.  "  They  are  all  transferred, 
not  one  of  them  is  here,"  he  announced  in  reference 
to  the  plain  clothes  men.  It  subsequently  developed  that 
at  the  time  the  statement  was  made,  the  men  transferred 
had  themselves  not  yet  learned  that  such  a  step  was  con- 
templated.^ 

On  May  2,  19 12,  a  card  game  and  drinking-bout  was 
in  progress  at  a  well-known  establishment.  The  follow- 
ing dialogue  took  place : 

"How  is  business?"  asked  one  of  the  men,  as  he 
was  shuffling  the  cards. 

"  Well,  we  run  pretty  strong,"  replied  the  other. 
"  Let  us  hope  that  it  will  keep  up.  There  's  a  new  style 
nowadays.  The  *  coppers  '  don't  call  us  out  any  more ; 
we  deal  with  an  outsider." 

"  Who  is  it?  "  asked  the  questioner  (our  agent). 

"What  do  you  care?"  was  the  reply.  "Do  I  ask 
you  who  you  gave-up  to,  uptown  ?  " 

8  Among  them  X  598,  X599,  X600,  X601,  X602. 
■^  X  603-604. 

8  The  persons  and  places  involved  are :  X  34,  X  108,  X  608, 
X  609,  X  610,  X  611,  X  600,  X  598,  X  613. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

After  the  Rosenthal  murder,  however,  the  aspect  of 
affairs  changed.  About  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  of 
July  i8  the  "king"  was  consulted  by  several  anxious 
associates  to  ascertain  whether  he  had  "  seen  "  anybody. 
He  replied  that  he  had,  and  that  everything  was  all  right, 
unless  something  unforeseen  should  happen,  as  the 
"  squeal "  thus  far  involved  only  the  gamblers.  Sus- 
pense was  thereby  relieved  and  great  was  the  merriment 
thereon.  "  It  might  be  better  if  we  had  a  grocery  store," 
suggested  one  of  the  wits  present.  A  week  later,  how- 
ever, the  situation  was  more  squally.  It  had  begun  to 
be  whispered  that  "  the  police  would  take  no  protection 
money  on  the  first  of  the  coming  month."  It  was  re- 
called that  on  a  previous  occasion  12  houses  in  a  certain 
block  had  each  paid  $500  on  Monday  and  that  on  the 
following  Saturday,  the  houses  were  smashed  up.  "  The 
same  thing  might  happen  here,"  remarked  an  anxious 
proprietor.  On  the  day  that  payment  was  to  be  made, 
August  I,  to  be  precise,  a  well-known  owner  entered 
a  West  26th  Street  resort  with  a  big  roll  of  bills,  as  to 
the  destination  of  which  he  was  in  doubt.  One  of  his 
pals  had  left  town,  the  other  was  in  jail.  He  "  did  n't 
know  whether  the  police  would  take  it  or  not."  Sud- 
denly a  brilliant  idea  struck  him ;  he  turned  to  our  agent 
who  was  supposed  to  be  conducting  an  uptown  flat  and 
to  be  in  position  to  secure  protection,  offering  him  the 
money.  "  You  take  it,"  he  suggested,  "  see  what  you 
can  do.     Maybe  you  can  connect." 

To  the  same  effect  is  the  testimony  of  a  memorandum 
procured  under  somewhat  dramatic  conditions.     On  May 

148 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

3,  1912,  a  large  group  of  owners*  were  engaged  in 
playing  cards  at  a  well-known  establishment.  Two  of 
the  group  stopped  their  game  in  order  to  engage  in  cal- 
culations involving  the  sale  of  a  third-interest  in  a  house 
in  West  25th  Street.  The  memorandum  was  subse- 
quently obtained  by  our  agent.  Six  different  accounts 
figured  in  the  calculation  of  income,  expenses,  profits, 
etc.  In  the  matter  of  expenses,  $631  appear  as  paid  out 
for  the  following  items :  "  Buttons  "  (i.  e.,  uniformed  po- 
lice) $166;  sergeant,  $30;  "  gang  "  (perhaps  plain  clothes 
men)  $104;  club  (meaning  unknown),  $200;  boss,  $25; 
smaller  items  absorb  the  remainder. 

Personal  conversations  between  police  officers,  owners 
of  disorderly  places  and  our  investigator,  supposed  to  be 
one  of  themselves,  pointing  to  intimate  dealings  and 
relations,  were  likewise  frequently  reported  with  addi- 
tional data  identifying  those  concerned.  On  March  i8th, 
19 1 2,  it  was  reported  that  a  uniformed  officer  ^°  called  at 
a  well-known  disorderly  house  "  asking  for  a  notorious 
owner ;  ^^  he  explained  his  errand  in  these  words,  written 
down  from  memory  shortly  afterwards :  "  I  'm  broke. 
He  hasn't  seen  me  for  a  few  nights  and  I  would  like 
to  have  some  *  sugar.' "  Two  days  before,  two  plain 
clothes  men,  in  passing  a  well-known  hangout,  beckoned 
one  of  the  owners  to  come  outside;  shortly  after  he  re- 
turned, remarking  to  his  comrades,  "  The  *  dogs  '  are  out- 
side." 

About  two  o'clock  one  afternoon,  three  men,  two  of 

»  Persons  and  places  involved :    X  108,  X  44,  X  502,  X  659,  X  415, 
X  416,  X  414,  X  542,  X  II,  X  663,  X  664,  X  407,  X  73,  X  67. 
"  X  662.  "X  108.  "  X  34. 

149 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

them  well-known  owners  of  a  place  in  West  35th  Street/* 
were  standing  in  West  30th  Street,  icx)  feet  from  the 
station  house ;  when  a  few  moments  later  the  plain  clothes 
men  started  to  go  on  duty,  one  ^*  of  them  beckoned  to  two 
of  the  officers  *®  and  engaged  them  in  prolonged  conver- 
sation. Its  purport  was  subsequently  summarized  to  his 
friends :     "  Don't  worry !  " 

At  times  a  "  collector  "  is  said  to  be  the  intermediary 
in  transactions  similar  to  those  implied  in  the  foregoing 
incidents.  Among  the  best  known  of  these  is  a  saloon- 
keeper^® once  enjoying  the  reputation  of  protecting  the 
entire  Red  Light  district,  at  that  time  situated  in  Allen 
Street.  His  saloon  ^"^  is  now  a  hangout  for  thieves, 
gamblers  and  the  like.  Two  patrolmen  and  an  officer  ^® 
are  named  as  coming  to  his  resort  to  *'  fix  "  pimp  cases. 
The  "  lookout  "  ^^  for  a  Sixth  Avenue  ^°  establishment 
remarked,  in  describing  the  financial  operations  of  the 
place,  that  he  receives  10  percent  of  the  profits  monthly, 
that  $200  a  month  go  to  inspector  and  captain,  and  that  the 
patrolman  ^^  is  paid  nightly.  An  individual  who  has 
been  publicly  accused  of  being  a  vice  graft  collector  ^^ 
entered  a  disorderly  flat  in  West  58th  Street  ^^  on  June 
15,  19 1 2,  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  arrangements 
in  regard  to  protection.  The  madame  ^*  expressed  her- 
self as  satisfied  with  the  way  in  which  she  was  being 
treated. 2°     She  stated,  however,  that  her  neighbor  down- 

13  X  500.  "  X  671.  21 X  685. 

14  X    572.  18  X   672,   X   673,   X  674.  22  X  691. 

"  X  66s,  666.  19  X  26.  23  X  116. 

18  X   670.  ■  20  X    9.  24  X   519. 

^^  The  commander  of  the  inspection  district,  X  653. 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

stairs  "  had  a  scrap  with  the  collector  for  the  police  ^® 
over  protection  and  that  he  had  refused  to  take  her 
money  any  more.  The  result  is  that  every  one  of  the 
*  underdogs  '  (i.  e.,  plain  clothes  men)  comes  running  to 
her  every  night  w^ith  a  different  complaint  and  you  know 
what  that  means.  She  has  *  to  see  them  '  every  time  they 
come.  In  the  long  run,  it  costs  three  or  four  times  as 
much ;  and  she  got  a  '  collar  '  (i.  e.,  arrest)  in  the  bargain." 
One  of  our  agents  witnessed,  on  the  evening  of  June  i, 
19 1 2,  a  settlement  between  a  well-known  collector  for  the 
police  in  New  York  City  and  the  owners  of  15  different 
establishments,  situated  between  West  i8th  Street  and 
West  36th  Street.  At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they 
sat  around  a  large  table  ^'^  on  which  four  piles  of  money, 
the  smallest  denomination  being  $5  bills,  were  heaped  up. 
It  had  been  paid  to  the  police  collector,  who  carried  it 
away  in  a  violin  case. 

The  foregoing  incidents  explain  why  a  district  such 
as  Seventh  Avenue  is  called  a  "  money  post."  ^^ 

The  employment  of  pressure,  in  order  to  bring  about 
a  certain  kind  of  differentiation  of  neighborhoods,  is 
exemplified  in  the  following  instance :  A  notorious 
madame  informed  our  agent  that  she  was  going  to  open 
a  house  in  West  40th  Street,^®  but  admitted  that  she 
would  have  to  be  careful,  because  cheaper  resorts  would 

26  X  691. 

2T  X  108. 

28  Our  investigators  made  frequent  reports  showing  "that  street 
walkers  and  others  repeatedly  prosecuted  their  business  under  the 
eyes  of  police  officers  without  interference. 

2»  X  109. 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

not  be  permitted  in  that  vicinity.  Through  the  good 
graces  of  a  high  official  ^°  whom  she  named,  she  claimed 
that  she  had  succeeded  in  maintaining  and  quietly  con- 
ducting a  low  grade  establishment  there. 

The  peaceful  operation  of  disorderly  resorts  is  dis- 
turbed from  time  to  time  by  raids,  as  in  the  instance 
above  noted,  in  which  one  madame  "  got  a  collar,"  while 
her  competitor  on  the  floor  above  remained  unmolested. 
Raids  are  variously  accounted  for  by  those  who  suffer: 
now  on  the  score  of  punishment  or  revenge,  as  in  the 
case  last  mentioned;  again,  for  the  purpose  of  "  covering 
the  captain  on  the  blotter,"  i.  e.,  that  he  may  make  a 
good  showing  in  his  report  to  the  Inspector;  sometimes 
—  so  it  is  alleged  —  in  order  to  keep  the  owners  and  their 
madames  in  line  so  that  they  will  be  sure  to  pay  the  pro- 
tection money.  The  police  know  who  the  owner  or 
madame  is  without  even  entering  the  house,  and  warrants 
are  declared  to  be  sworn  out  in  many  instances  without 
any  evidence  at  all.  It  is  understood  between  operators 
and  real  estate  agents  that  when  a  house  is  opened  the 
owner  must  "  stand  for  "  an  occasional  "  collar,"  though 
the  latter  sometimes  protests  vehemently.  For  instance, 
March  14,  1912,  the  indignant  owner  ^^  of  a  place  on 
Sixth  Avenue  ^^  declared  his  house  had  been  raided  the 
night  before  for  no  reason.  "  If  they  don't  stop  that, 
r  11  holler,"  he  added ;  "  they  have  to  discharge  that 
case  or  I  '11  know  the  reason  why."  Usually  when 
houses  are  raided,  the  real  culprits  escape  arrest.  It 
was  reported  on  August  15th  that  18  disorderly  resorts 

30  X  610.  31  X  6&  32  X  9. 

152 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

had  been  entered  by  the  authorities.  Only  a  few  house- 
keepers and  colored  maid  servants  were  arrested. 

Frequent  reports  deal  with  the  presence  of  police 
officers  in  and  about  disorderly  saloons  and  hotels.  On 
January  25,  an  officer  was  drinking  in  the  rear  room 
of  a  disorderly  saloon  on  St.  Nicholas  Avenue.^^  On 
February  i  two  officers  were  served  with  beer  and 
cigars  in  the  rear  room  of  a  similar  resort  on  Columbus 
Avenue.^ ^  On  March  9  a  man,  accompanied  by  a  street 
walker,  'entered  a  hotel  in  West  35th  Street.^'^  In  the 
hall,  a  police  officer  ^®  in  full  uniform,  was  standing  with 
a  bottle  of  beer  in  his  hand.  His  number  is  in  our 
possession.  On  March  4,  a  street  walker  was  ar- 
rested in  Sixth  Avenue  in  front  of  a  well-known  cafe.^'^ 
Thereupon  a  lighthouse  called  the  owner  of  his  establish- 
ment ^^  who  induced  the  plain  clothes  man  ^^  to  release  the 
jvoman. 

The  entire  situation  as  respecting  alleged  police  rela- 
tions was  described  by  all  our  investigators  as  radically 
altered  by  the  events  following  the  Rosenthal  murder. 
Thirty  houses  were  reported  as  closed  in  September.  In 
one  case  closure  was  so  sudden  that  the  girls  were  not  paid 
Q^f  40  They  exhibited  their  punched  cards  and  threat- 
ened vengeance  unless  reimbursed  —  one  to  the  extent 
of  $5.50,  another  to  the  extent  of  $4.  The  madame^* 
of  a  house  in  West  28th  Street  ^^  described  herself  on 
September  29  as  "  down  and  out."    In  early  October, 


83  X    706. 

37  X   729. 

*oX  426. 

3*  X  707. 

88  X  556,  X  557. 

«  X  741. 

35  X   230. 

89  X   626. 

*2  Owner  X  34. 

88  X   708. 

153 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

the  proprietor  was  himself  more  optimistic :  "  It 's  only 
a  question  of  two  or  three  days,"  he  declared,  "  and  we  've 
got  to  expect  these  things."  The  owners  therefore  con- 
tinued in  many  instances  to  pay  rent  for  their  now  empty 
houses.  Early  in  October,  the  impression  got  abroad 
that  conditions  were  once  more  propitious:  About  2 
p.  M.,  October  4,  a  group  of  owners  held  a  meeting 
on  Second  Avenue,^^  later  adjourning  to  Sixth  Avenue,^* 
where  they  again  went  into  "  executive  session."  Sev- 
eral important  persons  were  present. ^^  On  the  strength 
of  a  report  that  the  houses  could  open  slowly  it  was 
decided  at  this  meeting  that  certain  houses  would  com- 
mence "  business  "  at  8  o'clock  that  evening,  a  few  more 
the  next  day,  and  a  few  the  next.  Accordingly,  at  the 
appointed  hour,  the  owners  turned  on  the  lights  in  eight 
houses  situated  in  West  24th  Street,*^  Sixth  Avenue,*'' 
West  31st  Street,*^  and  West  28th  Street.*^  Things 
however  miscarried  and  the  houses  were  again  closed. 
The  chief  owner  '^^  was  indignant :  on  November  10, 
1912,  he  admitted  ^^  that  it  was  a  "  lousy  tip  "  he  had 
got,  though  it  "  looked  good  "  at  the  time.  He  named 
the  source  —  a  practicing  lawyer."  ^ 

Since  the  close  of  this  investigation  on  November  15, 
19 1 2,  in  consequence  of  the  activity  of  the  police  grow- 

"X311. 

4*  X  658. 

45  X  34,  47,  413-a,  44,  705,  418,  387-a  and  746. 

*8  X  S02,  X  570,  X  459. 

47  X  33,  X  II,  X  403. 

48  X  16.  "At  X  108. 

49  X    419.  62  X   587. 

60X34. 

154 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

ing  out  of  the  Rosenthal  murder,  and  the  investigations 
conducted  by  the  Aldermanic  and  Legislative  Commit- 
tees, the  method  of  conducting  the  business  of  prostitu- 
tion in  houses  has  changed  materially.  For  instance,  in 
the  more  expensive  houses,  the  $5  and  $10  resorts, 
madames  do  not  allow  actual  violations  of  the  law  on  the 
premises,  but  have  the  women  sit  in  the  parlor  await- 
ing calls.  One  such  resort  is  located  in  an  apartment 
in  West  43rd  Street,^^  where  twenty  women  were  found 
sitting  in  the  parlor  on  March  10,  19 13.  The  madame, 
who  has  a  large  personal  acquaintance  with  patrons  of 
a  better  class,  simply  awaits  telephone  calls  requesting  a 
lady  companion.  Knowing  the  tastes  of  her  customers, 
she  sends  one  of  the  women  to  an  appointed  place.  Thus 
there  is  no  violation  of  the  law  on  the  premises,  and  the 
police  are  unable  to  "  cover  "  the  situation.  But  a  num- 
ber of  low-priced  houses  have  opened  in  the  old  way  on 
a  smaller  scale:  March  12,  1913,  three  resorts,  one  each 
in  Sixth  Avenue,^*  West  28th  Street  ^^  and  West  40th  '^^ 
were  operating  with  two  or  three  inmates  each,  all  wearing 
street  clothes.  The  third  inspection  district  was  at  this 
time  declared  to  be  free  from  police  molestation.  Cur- 
rent talk  in  the  district  explains  this  immunity  on  the 
ground  that  police  and  owners  were  so  involved  with 
each  other,  that  effective  action  on  the  part  of  the  former 
was  prevented  by  fear  that  the  latter  would  turn  on  the 
light.  "  They  are  all  opening  up,"  remarked  one  owner, 
while  chatting  with  sympathizers  in  a  cigar  store  '^'^  in 
West  ii6th  Street,  as  recently  as  March  15,  1913.    One 

"  X  778.  58  X  419.  "  X  781. 

^X  23.  »«X93. 

155 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

owner  ^^  then  had  six  houses  going.  "  God  pity  the  po- 
lice if  they  interfere!  "  Of  a  well-known  inspector,^®  it 
has  been  said,  that  "  having  taken  money,  he  can't  well 
step  on  anybody's  corns."  A  former  wardman,®"  now 
wearing  a  uniform  in  the  service  of  the  West  125th 
Street  station  house,  remarked  hardly  a  fortnight  ago 
to  two  men,  one  an  owner,  the  other  a  former  associate : 
"  Sit  tight ;  you  're  getting  a  little ;  you  're  making  ex- 
penses; squealing  seems  to  be  a  fad  nowadays."  Among 
places  now  quietly  running  under  changed  ownership 
may  be  mentioned  one  each  in  West  26th  Street,  West 
28th,  West  29th,  West  31st,  West  34th;  two  in  Sixth 
Avenue  and  three  in  West  40th  Street.®^ 

Confidence  is  strong  in  the  underworld  that  "  hard 
times  "  will  not  last ;  the  police  who  are  reputed  to  have 
worked  in  collusion  with  the  exploiters  of  prostitution 
share  the  same  view.  "  It  will  all  blow  over  " — that  is 
the  refrain  to  every  discussion.     History  is  quoted  to 

"8X34. 

69  X    610. 

«°  X  598. 

•1  These  are  indexed  in  our  records  as  follows : 

X  791  W.  26th  Street,  owners  X  17  and  X  34. 

X    78  W.  27th  Street,  owners  X  68  and  X  69. 

X  419  W.  28th  Street,  owners  X  418,  X  509,  and  X  34. 

X  792  W.  29th  Street,  owners  X  15. 

X     16  W.  31st  Street,  owners  X  34,  and  a  woman. 

X  254  W.  34th  Street,  owners  X  793. 

X    33  Sixth  Avenue,  owners  X  34. 

X    II  Sixth  Avenue,  owners  X  542,  X  705,  and  X  34's  nephew 
and  brother. 

X  659  W.  40th  Street,  owners  X  103  and  X  44. 

X    93  W.  40th  Street,  owners  X  34. 

X  582  W.  40th  Street,  owners  X  408. 

156 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

support  this  hopeful  interpretation  of  present  conditions. 
A  similar  repressive  policy  was  instituted  in  1907. 
Houses  were  closed;  some  owners  with  their  madames 
and  girls  left  the  city  and  others  betook  themselves  to  flats 
and  hotels.  For  three  years,  the  business  was  timid, 
quiet,  unobtrusive,  gradually  feeling  its  way  back.  By 
January,  191 1,  the  promoters  had  all  returned,  keen  to 
recoup;  by  the  succeeding  year,  they  had  restored  their 
former  prosperity.  Now  once  more  their  schemes  have 
been  disorganized.  The  tide  is  turning  against  them. 
But  they  have  seen  that  happen  before  and  they  are  con- 
fident that,  as  in  the  past,  the  "  good  old  days  "  will  re- 
turn. A  prominent  madame^^  was  on  September  18 
still  paying  rent  for  two  houses,  one  in  West  25th 
Street,®^  one  in  West  31st  Street.^*  "We  outlive  all 
those  dogs,"  declared  an  old-timer,®^  who  had  lived 
through  all  the  spasmodic  efforts  at  suppression  under- 
taken in  the  last  fifteen  or  twenty  years. 

Talk  in  the  underworld  does  not  stop  with  the  police 
department:  it  involves  the  judiciary  and  prosecutors  as 
well.  There  is  no  misunderstanding  the  prevalent  feel- 
ing :  these  men  and  women  are  hurt, —  wounded  to  the 
quick  —  because,  as  they  constantly  assert,  having  kept 
their  part  of  the  bargain  by  paying  for  protection,  the 
officials  do  not  so  regularly  "  deliver  the  goods."  Our 
investigators  report  many  interviews  to  this  effect.  The 
owner  of  a  house  in  West  35th  Street  has  been  keenly 
worried  by  a  three-months'  sentence  meted  out  to  his 
madame.^*     "  He  had  understood  that  judges  were  not 

•2  X  17,  «*  X  16.  6«  X  804. 

««  X  59.  «5  X  4is-a. 

157 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

giving  *  prison,'  as  several  such  cases  had  been  lately 
discharged."  He  instanced  one  from  West  28th  Street,^''^ 
another  from  West  25th  Street.^®  "  You  know  what  it 
costs  to  discharge  a  case,"  he  added  feelingly.  On 
August  30,  19 1 2,  three  men  met  at  Eighth  Avenue  and 
28th  Street;  one  of  them  bitterly  reviled  an  official  in 
the  criminal  court  building.  "  He  has  no  right  to  do 
this.  Why,  didn't  we  once  pay  him  $4,000, —  $150  for 
each  house,  to  keep  out  of  the  district?  There  were  no 
more  raids  then, —  but  now!"^®  On  the  17th  of  Oc- 
tober, 19 12,  several  disorderly  house  cases  from  the 
Tenderloin  were  tried  in  special  sessions :  the  places  were 
notorious, —  involving  among  others  the  madames  of 
houses  in  West  31st  and  West  36th  Streets.  The  disposi- 
tion made  of  them  represents  the  characteristic  uncertainty 
of  the  action  of  the  court  of  special  sessions.  Two  of 
the  defendants  were  acquitted,  two  were  convicted,  but 
received  suspended  sentences,  two  were  fined  fifty  dol- 
lars apiece,  and  one  pleaded  guilty,  receiving  a  penalty  of 
imprisonment  for  thirty  days. 

There  are  a  number  of  lawyers  in  New  York  City  who 
are  being  constantly  employed  by  the  owners  of  disorderly 
houses  to  defend  their  cases  in  the  courts.  Their  fees 
vary  according  to  their  standing.  A  former  magistrate, 
who  has  an  office  on  Broadway,  charges  $100  for  appear- 
ing in  Special  Sessions.  He  has  latterly  succeeded  in 
securing  the  acquittal  of  the  madame  of  a  West  28th 
Street  "^^   house.     Another   lawyer  ^^    with  an   office   on 

«7  X  12.  68  X  67. 

88  X  415-a,  X  34,  X  633  were  concerned  in  this  alleged  deal. 

'0  X  608.  "X  587. 

158 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

Park  Row,  charges  from  $15  to  $25  for  his  appearance  in 
the  poHce  court,  and  $50  altogether  if  he  has  to  appear 
in  a  higher  court. 

A  few  weeks  ago  one  of  the  madames  was  sentenced 
to  the  penitentiary  for  three  months.  During  the  even- 
ing of  the  day  on  which  she  was  sentenced,  the  lawyer 
who  had  appeared  for  her  came  to  a  resort  ^^  where  a 
number  of  owners  had  gathered.  They  upbraided  him 
for  pleading  "  Guilty,  your  Honors." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  show  fight?  "  demanded  one. 

"  Well,"  he  replied,  "  there  was  a  time  when  I  used 
to  walk  into  the  court  room  and  make  a  bargain  with  the 
judges  when  there  were  three  or  four  charges  pending 
against  one  woman.  I  used  to  say,  *Your  Honors,  we 
will  make  this  bargain  day.  There  are  four  charges 
against  this  woman.  What  will  you  do?  Unless  you 
are  lenient,  I  will  fight  you  and  take  up  your  time.'  The 
fine  as  a  rule  was  no  more  than  $100  for  three  or  four 
charges.  At  that  time,  the  coppers  used  to  break  in 
a  house  and  raid  it  just  to  get  the  money  for  the  fine.  But 
times  have  changed." 

As  some  street  walkers  are  picked  up  by  the  plain  clothes 
men  and  brought  into  court,  they  hire  by  preference  a 
lawyer'''^  who  lives  on  West  loth  Street.*^^  This  man 
agrees  to  procure  their  discharge  for  $50,  distributed  as 
follows : 

$10  for  the  bondsman  to  bail  her  out,  if  necessary; 

$15  for  his,  the  lawyer's  services,  and 

$25  to  go  to  the  arresting  officer  for  his  testimony. 

It  is  alleged  that  the  lawyer  in  question  has  agents 

"X  108.  "X  832.  T4X  833. 

159 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

on  Sixth  Avenue  keeping  tab  on  the  street  walkers. 
When  the  girl  is  "  picked  up,"  these  agents  are  on  the 
ground  and  see  that  he  gets  the  case;  he  guarantees 
to  turn  her  out  for  $50  or  more,  whatever  he  can  get, 
but  under  no  conditions  accepts  less  than  $35.  If  the 
girl  has  no  ready  money  and  has  jewelry,  that  is  taken 
as  security.  The  first  thing  he  does  is  to  have  the  case 
adjourned  for  two  days,  which  means  no  less  than  $15 
for  bail.  During  the  two-days'  adjournment,  the  lawyer 
"  feels  out  "  the  plain  clothes  man  who  "  picked  up  "  the 
girl.  If  the  detective  falls,  he  usually  gets  $15  from 
the  lawyer's  fee.  If  the  detective  insists  on  prosecuting, 
the  lawyer  has  a  man  ready  to  swear  that  it  was  he  who 
was  in  conversation  with  the  woman  at  the  time  she 
was  arrested,  though  this  is  not  usually  necessary.  If 
the  plain  clothes  man  has  made  an  affidavit  prior  to  the 
granting  of  the  adjournment  and  is  ready  to  "  fall,"  he 
will  permit  the  lawyer  to  entangle  him  in  his  cross-ex- 
amination and  to  bring  it  out  that  he,  the  plain  clothes 
man,  approached  the  girl,  and,  in  other  ways,  will 
contradict  himself  "  safely."  This  is  resorted  to  when 
the  affidavit  is  unfavorable  to  the  girl. 

Despite  the  enormous  volume  of  prostitution  in  Man- 
hattan, the  actual  number  of  convictions  is  small,  and  the 
main  culprits  go  scot-free. 

During  a  period  of  nine  months,  ending  September 
30,  1912,  143  disorderly  house  cases  were  tried  in  Spe- 
cial Sessions.  Twenty-five  pleas  of  guilty  were  entered, 
82  were  convicted,  32  acquitted,  and  other  disposition 
was  made  of  4. 

The  total  number  of  disorderly  house  cases  received  in 

160 


Prostitution,  Police,  and  Law 

this  court  from  January  i,  19 12,  to  October  i,  19 12,  was 
180,  and  on  September  30,  19 12,  there  were  62  actions 
still  pending. 

Of  the  107  cases  in  which  the  defendants  were  found 
guilty  or  pleaded  guilty,  the  following  dispositions  were 
made: 

Jail  sentences    80 

Average  term  being 3  months  and  27  days 

Fines    18 

The  total  amount  being. . . .  $2,325.00 

or  an  average  fine  of 129.00 

Suspended  sentences  9 

In  general,  the  convictions  secured  were  those  of  em- 
ployees, the  prevailing  rules  of  evidence  making  it  almost 
impossible  to  reach  the  principals. 

In  the  matter  of  saloons,  for  the  year  ending  September 
30,  19 1 2,  the  Excise  Commission  in  New  York  County 
brought  revocation  proceedings  which  resulted  in  the 
denial  of  the  privilege  of  traffic  in  liquor  for  one  year  in 
only  6  cases.  During  the  same  period,  the  Commissioner 
brought  143  actions  to  recover  the  penalty  under  bond,  of 
which  18  were  cash  bond  places.  These  cases,  we  under- 
stand, refer  particularly  to  disorderly  hotels.'^^ 

From  October,  191 1,  to  September,  1912,  159  ar- 
rests were  made  for  prostitution  in  tenement  houses  un- 
der Section  150  of  the  Tenement  House  Law.  Of  these, 
36  were  discharged  and  123  convicted.  Eighty-four  of 
those  convicted  were  sent  to  the  workhouse  for  six 
months,  27  were  put  on  probation,  and  other  dispositions 
were  made  of  12. 

''^  The  above  data  are  derived  from  the  report  made  by  the 
Committee  of  Fourteen  for  1912. 

161 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Between  January  i,  19 12,  and  December  31,  19 12,  or 
approximately  during  the  period  of  this  investigation,  the 
Tenement  House  Department  recorded  247  prostitution 
complaints  at  2 1 1  separate  addresses  in  Manhattan,  The 
time  which  elapsed  between  the  receipt  of  the  complaint 
and  the  report  of  the  inspector  was:  returned  the  same 
day,  5  cases;  from  i  to  5  days,  55  cases;  6  days  to  2 
weeks,  139  cases;  15  days  to  i  month,  38  cases;  and  over 
I  month,  9  cases  and  one  unknown.  The  average  number 
of  days  which  elapsed  between  the  receipt  of  the  com- 
plaint and  the  final  report  of  the  Tenement  House  In- 
spector is  10,75,  which  represents  prompter  action  than 
was  previously  obtained.  In  the  period  from  August  i, 
1902,  to  October,  1908,  the  average  length  of  time  which 
elapsed  between  the  receipt  of  a  prostitution  complaint 
and  the  final  report  of  the  inspector  was  11.28  days. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  proper  to  state  that  the  purpose  of 
the  foregoing  chapter  is  to  picture  a  situation  and  not  by 
implication  to  indicate  the  responsibility  for  it.  Whether 
the  discrepancies  between  our  reports  and  official  records 
are  due  to  bad  laws  impossible  of  enforcement,  to  the 
instructions  emanating  from  superior  officials,  to  ineffi- 
ciency, to  corruption,  to  the  existence  of  evils  with  which 
no  official  machinery  can  cope,  or  finally  to  all  these 
causes  operating  together,  we  do  not  undertake  to  say  or 
to  imply.  The  facts  are  as  stated  above;  the  situation 
portrayed  by  them  actually  exists.  It  is  for  the  com- 
munity to  consider  their  significance,  and  to  devise  such 
measures  as  careful  reflection  may  approve. 

162 


CHAPTER  VIII 

A   STUDY   OF   PROSTITUTES    COMMITTED   FROM    NEW    YORK 

CITY  TO  THE  STATE  REFORMATORY  FOR  WOMEN 

AT  BEDFORD  HILLS 

By  Katharine  Bement  Davis,  Superintendent. 

Sources:  —  The  materials  for  this  study  are  found  in 
the  records  of  647  prostitutes  committed  from  New  York 
City  to  the  State  Reformatory  for  Women  at  Bedford 
Hills. ^  Of  these,  279  were  in  the  institution  at  the  time 
the  study  was  made.  The  remainder  were  either  on 
parole  or  had  been  discharged  on  completion  of  sentence. 
The  data  are  gathered  from  the  girls'  own  stories  supple- 
mented by  information  from  their  families,  from  corre- 
spondence with  previous  employers,  interviews  with  of- 
ficials of  other  institutions,  letters  received  and  sent  by  the 
women  themselves;  from  the  officers  who  chaperone  all 
visits  to  the  girls  while  in  the  institution  and  from  per- 
sonal acquaintance  extending  in  every  case  from  three 
months  to  several  years.  The  difficulties  inherent  in  the 
compilation  of  such  statistics  are  obvious.  Certain  data, 
such  as  birthplace,  age,  size  of  family,  education,  religion 
and  previous  occupation,  are  probably  very  nearly  accur- 
ate. When  we  leave  the  domain  of  facts  easily  verifiable 
and  come  to  the  question  of  causes  of  prostitution,  earn- 
ings of  prostitution,  reasons  for  coming  to  New  York 

1  For  purposes  of  comparison  studies  were  also  made  of  610  girls 
in  7  other  New  York  city  and  state  institutions  and  of  1106  street 
walkers.     See  pp.  197  etc. 

163 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

City,  past  institution  records,  conjugal  condition,  there  is 
always  a  possibility  of  error.  But  we  believe  the  study 
is,  on  the  whole,  a  fair  picture  of  the  New  York  City 
prostitute  who  is  convicted  in  the  New  York  City  courts. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  women  convicted  in  the  courts  are 
not  a  fair  sample  of  New  York  prostitutes  as  a  class,  for 
the  reason  that  the  more  prosperous  ones  are  so  protected 
as  not  to  suffer  molestation  from  the  police.  A  com- 
parison, however,  of  the  tables  of  the  institution  cases 
with  the  cases  of  women  on  the  streets  which  include  all 
grades  from  those  who  frequent  the  more  expensive  hotels 
down,  will  not  show  wide  variations. 

Birthplace  and  Parentage:  —  New  York's  population 
is  composed  of  as  heterogeneous  elements  as  any  city  on 
the  continent.  It  is  the  meeting  place  of  the  nations. 
What  effect  has  this  on  the  composition  of  a  body  of 
New  York  prostitutes?  Does  the  native-born  American 
who  has  enjoyed  the  economic  and  social  advantages  of 
this  country  contribute  a  greater  or  less  percentage  than 
the  various  groups  of  foreign-born?  Interesting  from 
the  point  of  view  of  our  immigration  problem  is  the  pro- 
portionate number  contributed  by  each  of  the  chief  races 
in  New  York  City. 

An  analysis  of  the  647  Bedford  cases  shows  that 
American-bom  whites  contribute  62.75  percent  of  the 
entire  number;  American-born  colored  women  furnish 
13.14  percent  while  the  foreign-born  women  are  24.11 
percent  of  the  total.  (See  Table  i.)  A  preliminary 
bulletin  issued  by  the  United  States  Census  Bureau  for  the 
Census  of  1910, -places  the  native  white  population  of  New 
York  City  at  57.3  percent,  while  the  foreign  population  is 

164 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

estimated  at  40.4  percent  of  the  entire  population.  Ac- 
cording to  this,  the  American-born  contribute  more  and 
the  foreign-born  less  than  their  proportion  to  the  Bedford 
prostitutes.  But  647  cases  are  a  very  small  number  on 
which  to  base  any  judgment.  We  have  at  hand,  however, 
some  other  statistics.  The  histories  of  610  prostitutes  in 
other  institutions  have  been  analyzed.^*  Of  these,  168  or 
2y.2  percent  were  white  foreign-born  and  68.5  percent 
were  white  American-born.  In  the  study  of  1,106  street 
cases,  all  white  women,  made  in  connection  with  this  re- 
port, we  find  31  percent  foreign-born  and  68.9  percent 
American-born.^  The  percentage  of  foreign-born  is  here 
somewhat  higher  than  in  the  institution  cases  because  prac- 
tically no  colored  women  were  included  among  the  street 
cases  and  few  in  the  institutions  other  than  Bedford. 
Combining  the  three  sets  of  records,  or  2,363  cases,  we 
have  67  percent  American-bom  white  as  against  28  per- 
cent foreign-born ;  a  poor  showing  for  the  American-born. 
(See  page  250,  Table  XLIX,  columns  III  and  IV.) 

Taking  up  a  comparison  of  the  different  nationalities, 
we  find  that  in  the  Bedford  cases  the  countries  in  the 
order  of  their  numerical  contributions  stood  as  follows: 
Russia,  Austria-Hungary,  Germany,  Ireland,  England- 
Scotland,  France,  and  Italy.  (See  Table  XLIX,  column 
II. )  Ranking  the  contributions  to  the  610  cases  in  the  other 
institutions  in  the  same  way,  the  first  five  places  on  the 
list  were  identical.  Canada  comes  sixth  and  France  is 
relegated  to  eighth  place.  (Table,  column  III.)  Exam- 
ining the  street  cases  in  the  same  way,  Russia  comes  first, 
Germany  and  Austria-Hungary  exchange  places  as  do 

^  See  Page  229.  2  See  Page  No.  243. 

165 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Ireland  and  England-Scotland,  France  and  Italy  occupy- 
ing sixth  and  seventh  places.  (Table,  column  IV.) 
Combining  all  records,  the  order  is  the  same  as  for  the 
street  cases  with  the  exception  that  Ireland  and  England- 
Scotland  are  reversed.  (Table,  column  V.)  Rank- 
ing the  foreign-born  population  of  New  York  City  in 
point  of  numbers,  we  have  Russia,  Germany,  Ireland, 
Austria-Hungary,  England-Scotland,  and  France. 
(Table,  column  IV.)  Dropping  out  Italy,  the  order 
remains  as  in  column  V. 

Table  L  shows  numbers  and  percentages.  From 
this,  it  would  seem  that,  with  the  exception  of  Italy,  the 
various  foreign  groups  contribute  prostitutes  in  numbers 
proportioned  to  their  numerical  rank  but  not  in  propor- 
tion to  their  percentage  of  the  total  population;  thus, 
Russia  forming  a  trifle  over  lo  percent  of  the  popula- 
tion contributes  only  about  8.3  percent  of  prostitutes; 
Germany  and  Austria-Hungary  come  very  near  to 
contributing  their  full  quota;  Ireland  only  about  half, 
while  England-Scotland  send  us  a  very  few  more  and 
France  a  good  many  more  than  their  proper  proportion. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  Italy  sends  to  the  United 
States  every  year,  many  hundred  unmarried  men  or 
men  without  their  families.  This  probably  accounts  for 
the  small  proportion  of  Italy's  contribution.  It  may  be 
argued  that  this  is  not  a  fair  rating  as  we  have  no  com- 
plete census  of  New  York  prostitutes,  but  owing  to  the 
methods  employed  in  securing  our  material  both  in  and 
out  of  institutions,  we  probably  have  here  as  representa- 
tive a  group  of  prostitutes  as  can  be  found,  and  a  fair 
cross  section  of  the  entire  number.     It  might  be  a  more 

166 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

just  comparison  if  we  had  the  figures  for  the  female 
population  of  the  various  national  groups  within  the  age 
limits  of  the  women  studied,  but  that  is  not  attainable. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Italian  and  possibly  some  of 
the  component  parts  of  the  Russian  and  Hungarian 
groups,  the  figures  used  here  are  believed  to  be  fairly- 
comparable. 

Unfortunately,  we  have  not  the  data  for  the  parentage 
of  any  group  except  that  of  the  Bedford  cases.  Table 
II  shows  the  nationality  of  parents  in  detail  with  the 
greatest  possible  attainable  accuracy.  Table  III  gives 
the  summary.  The  graph  accompanying  Table  II  repre- 
sents the  same  thing  to  the  eye. 

We  find  that  the  native-born  of  foreign  parentage  is 
about  51  percent.  The  native-born  of  American  par- 
entage is  18.5  percent.  Mixed  parentage  means  one 
native-born  and  one  foreign-born  parent. 

Table  IV  compares  these  percentages  with  the  par- 
entage of  the  native  population  of  New  York  City.  The 
Tribune  Almanac  for  19 12  gives  the  native  white  of 
native  parents  as  19.3  percent  of  the  total  population 
while  the  native  white  of  foreign  parents  is  38.2  percent. 
Comparing,  we  see  that  the  native  parents  contribute 
about  their  proportionate  quota;  the  foreign-born  of 
foreign  parents  contribute  less  than  their  quota,  while 
the  group  that  contributes  out  of  proportion  to  its 
percentage  in  the  population,  is  that  of  the  native-born 
of  foreign  parents.  This  is  not  surprising  when  we  re- 
member that  here  we  have  a  group  in  which  the  fathers 
and  mothers  belong  to  a  civilization  with  speech,  tradi- 
tion and  habits  different  from  those  of  the  country  in 

167 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

which  they  are  living.  The  children,  native-born  Ameri- 
cans with  American  companions  and  American  school- 
ing, adopt  American  ideals  often  not  of  the  highest  and 
are  very  apt,  even  when  quite  young,  to  feel  that  they 
know  more  than  their  parents.  Lacking  in  any  feeling 
of  reverence,  they  early  refuse  to  listen  to  the  counsels 
of  their  parents.  On  the  other  hand,  the  parents  often 
stand  in  awe  of  the  superior  cleverness,  usually  super- 
ficial, of  their  American-born  children.  An  observa- 
tion extending  over  twelve  years  of  the  relations  between 
foreign-born  fathers  and  mothers  and  their  American- 
born  daughters,  leads  me  to  feel  that  right  here  lies  one 
of  the  important  points  of  attack  in  preventive  work. 

Status  of  Family:  —  Occupation  of  father.  Before 
we  are  in  a  position  to  deal  fairly  with  any  problem, 
we  must  know  all  the  elements  which  enter  into  it.  The 
most  important  factor  in  the  study  of  any  individual 
is  the  kind  of  family  from  which  he  comes.  The  oc- 
cupation of  a  man  has  very  little  to  do  with  his  moral 
worth  or  his  good  citizenship;  but  it  enables  us  in 
a  general  way,  to  place  him  as  to  his  position  in  society. 
By  his  earning  capacity  we  can  judge  something  of  the 
kind  of  home  he  can  make  and  the  opportunities  he  can 
give  his  children.  We  have,  accordingly,  included  in 
our  Bedford  study,  the  occupation  of  the  girls'  fathers. 
It  will  be  observed  from  Table  V  that  the  largest  single 
group  is  that  of  unskilled  labor  which  forms  21.3  per- 
cent of  the  whole.  Men  engaged  in  the  mechanical 
trades  form  the  next  largest  group,  or  18.6  percent; 
the  professions  stretched  to  their  limit  furnish  only  15 
individuals  or  2.4  percent. 

168 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

Sise  of  Family:  —  It  has  sometimes  been  claimed 
that  the  number  of  children  in  a  family  has  a  direct 
bearing  on  prostitution.  One  theory  suggested  is  that 
prostitutes  are  apt  to  be  members  of  a  large ,  family 
where  economic  pressure  is  great,  where  a  girl  is  either 
driven  out  by  want  or  has  failed  to  receive  proper  educa- 
tion and  training  as  a  result  of  insufficient  means.  In 
individual  cases,  undoubtedly,  this  is  true.  We  have  a 
young  woman  of  German  parentage,  nineteen  years  of 
age,  at  Bedford  at  the  present  time,  who  was  the  eldest 
of  ten  children.  She  has  never  been  to  school  a  day  in 
her  life,  nor  to  church  or  Sunday  School.  She  is  as 
much  of  a  heathen  as  if  she  had  been  born  in  Central 
Africa.  As  a  child,  she  had  to  stay  at  home  to  "  mind 
the  baby "  and  there  was  always  one.  As  she  grew 
older,  she  became  tired  of  the  over-crowded  home,  had 
never  received  any  training  which  would  fit  her  for  any 
occupation,  fell  an  easy  prey  to  a  young  man  who  took 
her  fancy;  and  it  was  but  another  step  into  prostitution 
as  a  means  of  livelihood.  We  could  tell  a  number  of 
such  stories  where  we  feel  confident  that  a  very  large 
family  on  very  small  means  is  largely  to  blame  for  the 
downfall  of  the  older  daughters. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  held  by  some  that  only  daugh- 
ters are  more  apt  to  go  wrong  than  those  who  have 
brothers  and  sisters  to  hold  them  up  to  family  standards. 
It  is  claimed  that  an  only  daughter  is  apt  to  be  pampered 
and  spoiled,  never  learns  obedience  and  is  often  dis- 
couraged from  earning  her  own  livelihood  by  her  par- 
ents with  the  idea  that  her  social  position  is  thus  bet- 
tered and  she  will  be  more  likely  to  make  a  good  mar- 

169 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

riage.  One  very  marked  case  of  this  kind  we  have  at 
this  present  moment  at  Bedford.  The  girl's  father  and 
mother  are  small  shopkeepers,  perfectly  respectable  but 
very  injudicious  people.  The  girl  was  allowed  to  be- 
lieve all  through  her  girlhood  that  she  could  have  any- 
thing she  wanted;  and  when  her  wants  exceeded  the 
possibility  of  gratification  by  her  parents,  she  gratified 
them  in  any  way  she  could. 

Table  VI,  which  gives  the  size  of  the  families  from 
which  our  647  cases  come,  shows  that  in  the  largest  num- 
ber of  cases  our  girls  were  one  of  three  brothers  and 
sisters.  The  next  largest  group  is  that  of  four  in  the 
family,  two  and  five  brothers  and  sisters  having  the 
same  number  of  representatives.  The  average  number 
of  children  is  3.99,  not  greatly  above  the  average  number 
of  children  per  family  in  the  general  community  which  is 
given  in  the  census  of  1910  as  2.j  percent  for  New 
York  City.  Our  figures,  therefore,  so  far  as  they  go, 
would  seem  to  prove  nothing  special  except  that  girls  go 
wrong  in  families  of  all  sizes. 

Occupation  of  Mother:  —  Probably  of  more  impor- 
tance than  the  size  of  the  family  is  the  economic  posi- 
tion of  the  mother,  particularly  during  the  years  of  the 
daughter's  adolescence.  It  is  a  vital  loss  if  a  girl's 
mother  is  away  from  home  all  day,  leaving  her  after 
school  hours  to  associates  of  whom  the  mother  knows 
nothing  and  who  may  be  most  questionable  in  their  in- 
fluence on  her  developing  character.  In  145  instances, 
or  in  22.4  percent  of  the  total  number  of  cases  studied, 
the  mother  worked  outside  the  home.  Table  VII  gives 
a  list  of  the  occupations  of  working  mothers,  with  the 

170 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

number  in  each  group.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  women 
who  went  out  for  day's  work  are  much  the  largest 
group.  They  went  out  to  wash,  to  clean,  to  scrub 
offices  and  for  other  unskilled  labor.  The  laundresses 
were  employed  partly  in  steam  laundries  and  partly  in 
private  families  and  came  home  at  night.  Of  the  145 
mothers  who  worked,  there  were  94  who  were  widows; 
one  mother  was  divorced;  the  husband  and  father  in 
one  case  was  an  inmate  of  a  sanitarium  for  tuberculosis; 
in  one  case  the  father  was  in  an  insane  asylum;  in  8 
cases  the  father  had  deserted  his  family;  in  40  cases 
the  husband  and  father  was  alive  and  working.  The 
necessity  for  earning  a  livelihood  explains  simply  the 
leaving  of  children  alone  in  the  group  of  widows.  In 
the  40  cases  where  the  husband  was  working,  no 
special  necessity  for  the  mother's  occupation  is  shown 
by  our  data.  The  40  husbands  and  fathers  whose 
wives  went  out  to  work,  were  engaged  in  thirty-one  dif- 
ferent occupations,  no  one  group  numbering  more  than 
four  men.  These  were  the  day  laborers.  Three  were 
colored  cooks ;  three  were  teamsters ;  two  were  carpenters ; 
others  include  a  stationary  engineer,  a  walking  dele- 
gate, an  insurance  agent,  a  market  man,  an  elevator 
man,  etc. 

Neither  did  the  size  of  the  family  afford  a  special 
excuse,  as  in  these  forty  families  there  was  an  average 
of  four  children.  One  family  contained  ten  children; 
two  families  each  had  seven  and  eight  respectively,  while 
the  greatest  number  in  any  one  group  was  ten  families 
with  three  children  each.  It  may  be  that  the  father  was 
inefficient  or  irregular  in  his  occupation  or  the  family 

171 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

standards  of  living  were  higher.  It  would  be  necessary 
to  know  all  of  these  details  in  each  family  to  offer  any 
opinion  as  to  reasons  and  we  have  not  these  data. 

But  the  94  cases  of  working  widows  do  not  cover  all 
the  cases  where  the  father  was  dead.  Of  these  there 
were  170.  Thirty  of  the  mothers  had  remarried;  two 
received  pensions;  in  three  cases  the  mothers'  where- 
abouts were  unknown  and  in  41  cases  she  was  sup- 
ported by  her  older  children  or  by  relatives.  Of  the 
total  group  of  fatherless  girls  there  were  154  who  had 
lost  their  fathers  before  they  had  reached  an  age  where 
they  could  receive  their  working  papers;  73  were  over 
fourteen;  36  did  not  know  the  date  of  their  fathers' 
death.  Among  these  were  some  of  the  orphans  and 
probably  some  girls  who  were  not  willing  to  tell  all 
they  knew.  Of  the  94  girls  whose  widowed  mothers 
were  employed,  61,  or  64  percent  lost  their  fathers 
before  they  had  reached  a  working  age.  One  hun- 
dred and  two  girls  whose  fathers  were  living  had 
lost  their  mothers  previous  to  their  admission  to  Bed- 
ford. In  42  instances  the  father  had  remarried  and  in 
20  instances  the  fathers'  whereabouts  were  unknown,  but 
they  were  believed  to  be  living.  One  hundred  and  fifteen 
out  of  195  girls  in  the  motherless  group  had  lost  their 
mothers  when  under  fourteen  years  of  age.  Of  the  93 
orphans,  43  had  been  brought  up  by  relatives,  10  by 
strangers  and  20  in  orphan  asylums;  twenty  were  old 
enough  to  earn  their  living  at  the  time  of  their  father's 
death.  To  summarize,  only  282,  or  43.5  percent  of  the 
women  studied,  had  both  parents  living. 

Until   very   recently,    the    Reformatory   has    had   no 

172 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

field  worker.  Our  knowledge  of  the  families  of  our 
girls  has  been  obtained  as  stated  in  the  first  section. 
Accordingly,  much  that  would  have  a  bearing  on  the 
conditions  which  have  made  our  girls  what  they  are,  is 
unknown  to  us.  But  we  do  know  that  out  of  the  647 
cases  studied,  in  130  different  families  there  were  known 
degenerate  strains.  This  is  shown  in  the  following 
table : 

HEREDITY;  KNOWN  DEGENERATE  STRAINS 

Total    Percent 

1.  Alcoholism  in  family 35 

2.  Criminality  in  family 5 

3.  Epilepsy  in  family  7 

4.  Feeble-minded  (very  marked)  parents 2 

5.  General  ill  health  of  parents  9 

6.  Insanity    l6 

7.  Parents  sex  offenders    21 

8.  Syphilitic    parents    '. 10 

9.  Tubercular    25  130  20.09 

It  is  probable  on  the  face  of  it  that  syphilis,  tuberculo- 
sis and  alcoholism  are  likely  to  be  much  more  generally 
present  than  is  shown  by  our  figures. 

Before  we  are  prepared  to  say  just  how  many  of 
these  factors  affecting  home  life  are  directly  responsible 
for  a  girl's  entering  a  life  of  prostitution,  we  should 
be  able  to  say  that  these  factors  were  or  were  not  pres- 
ent to  the  same  extent  in  affecting  the  lives  of  a  group 
of  girls  of  about  the  same  age,  education,  industrial 
efficiency  and  social  status  who  have  not  "  gone  wrong." 
Would  there  be  as  many  orphans,  as  many  mother- 
less girls,  as  many  or  more  working  mothers  in  any 
such  group  taken  at  random?  Until  we  can  make 
such  a  study,  it  is  not  fair  to  consider  the  facts  given 
in  these  sections  on  the  family  as  anything  more  than 

173 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

a  picture  of  the  conditions  from  which  our  girls  come. 

Education  and  Occupation:  —  A  girl's  education  and 
occupation  are  very  closely  connected.  We  have 
data  with  reference  to  education  so  far  as  the  Bedford 
cases  go,  based  on  the  actual  examination  of  the  girls. 
Table  VIII  has  something  to  say  for  compulsory  educa- 
tion in  New  York  City,  especially  when  taken  in  con- 
nection with  the  data  from  other  institutions  and  from 
the  street  cases.  The  table  shows  that  50  individuals,  or 
y.y2  percent  cannot  read  or  write  any  language.  Of 
these,  15  are  American-born.  Thirty-two  can  read  and 
write  a  foreign  language;  45.3  percent  have  never 
finished  the  primary  grades,  while  an  additional  39.72 
percent  never  finished  the  grammar  grades.  Of  the 
whole  number,  only  7.24  percent  finished  the  grammar 
grades.  Thirteen  individuals  had  entered  but  not  fin- 
ished high  school ;  only  four  individuals  had  graduated 
from  high  school;  three  had  had  one  year  at  a  normal 
school  and  one  out  of  647  cases  had  entered  college. 
The  institution  cases  other  than  Bedford  make  a  slightly 
better  showing,  but  here,  in  a  large  percentage  of  cases, 
we  have  nothing  to  go  on  but  the  girl's  own  statement. 
According  to  this,  only  12  percent  finished  grammar 
grades  and,  according  to  their  own  admission,  11.4  per- 
cent of  the  street  prostitutes  cannot  read  or  write  in 
any  language  and  only  4  percent  had  finished  the  gram- 
mar grades.     (See  Tables.) 

So  far  as  the  Bedford  cases  go,  the  industrial  efficiency 
of  the  women  is  about  on  a  par  with  their  education. 
Table  X  shows  the  occupation  of  these  girls  before  en- 
tering a  life  of  prostitution.     It  will  be  noted  that  243 

174 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

or  the  largest  group  are  general  houseworkers,  forming 
37.5  percent  of  the  total  number. 

Almost  all  the  studies  of  prostitution  heretofore  made 
have  noted  the  high  percentage  of  women  who  were  en- 
gaged in  domestic  service  previous  to  entering  the  life. 
So  far  as  my  observation  goes,  I  do  not  believe  that  this 
indicates  any  greater  danger  from  domestic  service  it- 
self as  an  occupation  than  from  any  other  in  which  un- 
skilled girls  engage.  Domestic  service  for  women  under 
existing  economic  conditions  corresponds  to  casual  labor 
for  men.  It  is  the  job  where  training  and  experience 
are  unnecessary  in  order  to  find  work.  Such  services 
would  not  be  desired  by  families  where  efficiency  is  de- 
manded and  paid  for.  A  very  large  proportion  of  our 
girls  were  not  competent  workers  but  were  girls  em- 
ployed in  the  lowest  stratum  of  families  that  employ 
domestic  help  at  all  and  where  standards  of  service  do 
not  exist.  This  group  includes  almost  all  the  colored 
girls  and  a  considerable  number  of  the  foreign-born 
white  girls.  The  factory  operatives  form  the  next 
largest  group;  clerks  in  department  stores  come  third. 
Ninety-two  individuals,  or  14  percent,  had  never  en- 
gaged in  any  occupation  previous  to  having  entered  a 
life  of  prostitution.  These  were  either  girls  whose  par- 
ents were  fairly  comfortably  off  and  who  preferred  to 
have  their  daughters  at  home  pending  matrimony,  or 
girls  who  married  almost  immediately  upon  leaving 
school  and  kept  house  until  matrimony  became  too  much 
for  them.  A  large  proportion  of  all  our  young  women 
were  not  fit  to  fill  any  more  responsible  positions  than 
those  they  held. 

^7S 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Comparing  the  occupations  of  the  institution  cases 
other  than  Bedford  with  those  shown  in  the  Bedford 
table,  we  find  that  the  factory  operatives  form  the  largest 
group  or  32,46  percent,  domestic  service  and  depart- 
ment stores  coming  second  and  third.  (  See  Table  XXX. ) 
The  table  of  occupations  of  street  cases  makes  quite 
a  different  showing,  which  may  or  may  not  be  due 
to  the  desire  of  the  girls  to  put  the  best  foot  fore- 
most in  giving  their  histories  to  the  investigator.  Here 
the  department  store  clerks  form  the  largest  group. 
Nearly  half  of  the  histories,  however,  say  that  the  girls 
have  never  had  any  occupation  previous  to  entering  the 
life  and  in  loi  cases,  no  statistics  were  given.  (See 
Table  XLVI).  So  far  as  education  goes,  however,  this 
group  is  no  better  equipped  for  filling  more  remunera- 
tive positions  than  are  the  girls  in  the  institutions.  Their 
racial  distribution  is  about  the  same.  There  is  not  much 
reason  to  believe  that  they  were  greatly  different  from 
the  institution  cases  in  industrial  efficiency. 

For  comparison  with  the  occupational  groups  of 
women  wage  earners  in  New  York  City  in  the  population 
at  large,  the  latest  statistics  available  are  those  of  the 
United  States  Census  of  1900.  This  gives  the  total 
number  of  wage-earning  women  as  329,489.  The 
groups  which  run  into  five  figures  are  as  follows: 

1.  Servants  and  waitresses 94.789  or  28.7% 

2.  Factory  operatives 36,458    "  11.06% 

3.  Dressmakers   34.3o6    "  10.04% 

4.  Saleswomen    20,578    "    6.2% 

5.  Seamstresses  IS.845    "    4-8% 

6.  Laundresses     15,085     "    4.5% 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  third  group,  which  is  a  skilled 

176 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

trade,  has  very  few  representatives  among  the  prosti- 
tutes. 

Earnings:  —  Until  recently  in  our  Bedford  records, 
we  have  not  systematically  recorded  wages  earned  be- 
fore entering  prostitution.  With  the  beginning  of  this 
study,  we  endeavored  to  obtain  the  data  from  the  pros- 
titutes now  in  the  institution.  We  find,  however,  that 
the  girls  are  very  hazy  as  to  the  exact  amounts  earned. 
They  "  don't  remember "  because  "  they  always  gave 
all  their  earnings  to  their  mother  "  is  a  frequent  state- 
ment. In  162  cases,  however,  they  appeared  to  be  suf- 
ficiently accurate  as  to  the  maxima  and  minima  of  earn- 
ings to  furnish  reasonable  proof  of  the  truth  of  their 
statements;  particularly  when  taken  in  connection  with 
our  knowledge  of  the  girls'  ability.  The  average  mini- 
mum is  $4  and  the  average  maximum  is  $8.  It 
will  be  noted  that  even  the  average  maximum  is  below 
$9,  an  amount  generally  conceded  to  be  the  minimum 
on  which  a  girl  can  live  decently  in  New  York  City. 
See  Table  IX.  By  far,  the  largest  number  earned  less 
than  this,  the  average  being  pulled  up  by  the  few  girls 
who  were  more  competent.  In  this  connection  we  made 
an  inquiry  of  194  young  women  who  were  at  Bedford  at 
the  time  the  study  was  made,  as  to  whether  they  were 
living  at  home  and  as  to  the  disposition  of  their  earn- 
ings at  the  time  they  entered  prostitution  as  a  business. 
Out  of  194,  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  claim  to  have 
been  living  at  home.  Of  these,  32  were  supported  by 
their  parents  or  husbands  and  did  not  work  outside  of 
their  home ;  53  were  working  and  giving  all  they  made  to 
their  mothers;  39  were  giving  part  of  what  they  earned; 

177 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

24  were  living  with  relatives  and  of  these,  15  gave  all  they 
earned  to  their  relatives,  while  9  gave  a  part  as  board ;  20 
young  women  were  working  and  boarding  with  strangers. 
They  claim  they  paid  board  ranging  from  $1.50  a  week 
in  one  case  to  one  case  which  claims  to  have  been  paying 
$13.50.  The  greatest  number  paid  $4.00  per  week. 
Twenty-six  of  the  girls  were  domestics  living  where 
they  worked.     See  Table  XL 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  statements  in  regard 
to  wages  made  by  the  girls  in  Bedford  with  the  state- 
ments of  those  in  other  institutions  and  especially  with  the 
statements  made  by  the  street  cases.  Table  LI  pre- 
sents this  comparison.  It  will  be  noted  that  of  the  420 
cases  considered,  the  average  maxima  and  minima 
varied  between  $9  and  $13,  a  much  higher  point 
than  is  reached  by  g^rls  in  the  institutions.  The 
total  shows  data  for  238  girls  who  were  domestic  serv- 
ants and  907  engaged  in  other  occupations.  In 
the  cases  of  institution  girls,  the  knowledge  that  the 
statement  which  they  give  can  be  checked  up  and  veri- 
fied by  the  institution  officials,  will,  in  most  instances, 
deter  them  from  going  wide  of  the  mark.  As  this  was 
impossible  in  the  majority  of  cases  interviewed  on 
the  street,  I  feel  that  not  as  much  reliance  can  be  placed 
on  data  as  to  salary.  Granted,  however,  that  the  data 
are  reliable,  there  would  seem  to  be  no  indication  of 
real  economic  pressure  as  a  reason  for  entering  an  im- 
moral life. 

Social  Relations:  —  Statistics  with  regard  to  social  re- 
lations must  be  taken  with  several  grains  of  salt.  A  girl 
confined  in  an  institution  is  very  anxious  to  maintain  re- 

178 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

lations  with  men  outside  and  sometimes  represents  a  man 
as  her  husband  who  is  simply  the  man  she  has  been  sup- 
porting by  her  wages  of  prostitution.  Usually  we  find 
this  out  sooner  or  later ;  but  as  we  include  in  these  statis- 
tics a  considerable  percentage  of  girls  whom  we  have 
known  only  for  a  few  months,  we  cannot  be  certain. 
According  to  present  knowledge,  out  of  647  cases  there 
are  193  married  women  or  29.8  percent  of  the  whole. 
(See  Table  XII.)  In  this  connection  it  may  be  said  that 
marriages  are  apparently  entered  into  with  as  little  con- 
sideration as  one  would  give  to  the  purchase  of  a  new 
hat,  and  a  husband  who  has  ceased  to  please  is  thrown 
aside  as  easily  as  an  old  garment.  New  connections  are 
entered  into  with  very  little  regard  to  the  legal  aspects 
of  the  case.  Many  a  girl  has  said  to  me  when  arguing 
the  matter  of  a  new  relationship  and  the  lack  of  legal 
separation  from  the  first,  "  But,  Miss  Davis,  he  did  not 
deserve  any  consideration !  "  One  girl  who  has  com- 
mitted bigamy  by  marrying  the  second  man,  gave  as  her 
excuse,  which  I  think  was  perfectly  genuine,  that  she 
wished  to  be  respectable!  In  a  large  proportion  of 
cases  of  girls  sent  here  for  prostitution,  one  or  more 
men  and  sometimes  as  many  as  six  stand  ready  to  marry 
each  as  a  means  of  securing  her  release.  These  are 
not  always  the  men  with  whom  the  girls  have  been  liv- 
ing nor  the  men  whom  they  have  been  supporting. 
The  most  extreme  case  that  has  come  to  my  attention 
is  that  of  one  of  our  girls  who  stopped  a  man  on 
the  street  as  she  was  being  taken  to  the  train  by 
our  officer  saying :  "  She  is  taking  me  to  prison. 
Will   you  marry  me   to   save  me  ? "     He   said  "  Yes," 

179 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

and  actually  wrote  me  asking  to  be  allowed  to  do 
so.  It  should  be  said  in  connection  with  married 
women,  that  we  have  record  of  comparatively  few  hus- 
bands who  are  in  good  and  regular  standing,  as  the  tables 
in  our  annual  reports  will  show. 

It  is  equally  difficult  to  get  at  the  actual  truth  as  to 
the  number  of  children  that  the  unmarried  women  have 
had.  The  table  shows  the  admissions  of  219  women  on 
this  point.  There  are  73  unmarried  women  who  ad- 
mitted having  had  children;  16  were  pregnant  at  the 
time  of  entering  the  institution  and  18  had  previously 
been  pregnant;  428  claim  to  have  had  no  children.  In 
this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  note  the  fact  that 
an  unmarried  woman  who  has  had  a  child  is  more  apt 
to  belong  to  the  mentally  defective  class  discussed  later 
on.  The  cleverer  women  know  how  to  prevent  concep- 
tions. 

Religion:  —  Table  XIII  shows  the  religious  affiliation 
of  the  Bedford  girls.  At  Bedford,  separate  services  are 
held  for  Catholic,  Protestant  and  for  Jewish  women.  On 
entrance  they  are  asked  to  state  their  previous  religious 
connection  or  preference.  They  are  advised,  if  they 
have  no  definite  religious  preference,  to  attend  the 
church  to  which  their  parents  belonged.  They  are 
also  told  that  they  may  not  change  after  once 
having  declared  themselves.  The  table  shows  that  41.  i 
percent  are  Catholics,  38.9  percent  are  Protestants  and 
19  percent  are  Jews.  The  colored  girls  are  almost  all 
included  in  the  Protestant  section. 

The  warden  of  the  Jefferson  Market  District  prison 
states  in  regard  to  the  religious  affiliations  of  the  7,408 

180 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

women  sentenced  from  Jefferson  Market  Day  and  Night 
Court  in  19 12,  that  there  were  3,533  Catholics  or  47.6 
percent,  2,525  Protestants  or  34.08  percent  and  1,301 
Jews  or  17.4  percent. 

The  reHgion  of  the  women  committed  for  all  offenses 
from  all  the  courts  of  Manhattan  and  the  Bronx  in  19 12 
is  as  follows: 

Catholic   4,630  or  444% 

Protestants   3,677    "    35.2% 

Jewish   1,880    "    18.03% 

Total 10424 

A  comparison  of  these  figures  with  the  percentage  of 
Catholics,  Protestants  and  Jews  in  the  population  of 
New  York  City  would  be  interesting.  These  latter 
figures  are  very  hard  to  get  at  except  in  the  most  gen- 
eral way.  The  latest  authoritative  study  with  which  I 
am  familiar  is  that  made  by  the  United  States  Census 
Bureau  in  1906.  It  gives  the  church  membership  as 
reported  by  the  various  denominations  as  1,838,482.  On 
a  basis  of  a  regular  growth  in  population  from  1900  to 
19 10,  the  population  of  New  York  City  in  1906  was 
about  4,235,010.  On  this  basis,  only  43.4  percent  of 
the  population  have  church  connections.  Only  the  heads 
of  Jewish  families  are  reported  in  this  census.  They 
are  placed  at  30,414.  The  World  Almanac  for  19 13  is 
responsible  for  the  statement  quoted  from  "  Christian 
Work  and  Evangelist "  that  there  are  905,000  Jews  in 
New  York.  This  means  racially  as  well  as  religiously 
Jewish.  This  would  be  about  19  percent  of  the  entire 
population.  The  Census  for  1906  gives  to  the  Catholics 
1,413,775,  or  33.38  percent  of  the  entire  population  and 

181 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

to  the  various  Protestant  denominations  only  327,690,  or 
8.8  percent  of  the  population.  This  would  leave  about 
38  percent  of  the  population  without  direct  church  con- 
nection to  be  distributed  as  to  original  affiliations  be- 
tween Catholic  and  Protestants,  I  should  expect  that 
here  the  Protestants  would  outnumber  the  Catholics. 

Bedford's  quota  of  Protestant  girls  is  high,  among 
other  reasons  because  the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd, 
whose  inmates  are  chiefly  Catholics,  is  much  the  largest 
of  the  private  institutions  to  which  delinquent  women 
are  committed.  I  should  personally  believe  that  if  we 
had  the  necessary  data  we  should  find  that,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Jewish  women,  the  Protestants  and  Catholics 
would  contribute  in  about  their  proportion  in  the  com- 
munity at  large  to  the  whole  group  of  prostitutes. 

Age:  —  Table  XIV  shows  in  column  i  the  ages  of 
647  prostitutes  on  their  commitment  to  Bedford.  In 
column  2  it  shows  the  age  of  the  girl  when  she  says 
she  committed  her  first  sexual  offense.  We  have  the 
data  only  in  300  cases.  Of  these,  279  are  cases  still 
in  the  institution.  The  age  on  entering  prostitution 
is  also  only  known  for  the  cases  in  the  institution, 
as  we  did  not  attempt  to  secure  this  special  data  until  the 
beginning  of  the  present  study.  It  will  be  noted  that 
about  7  percent  of  the  whole  number  committed  their  first 
offense  before  they  were  fourteen,  and  that  an  additional 
9  percent  were  fourteen  at  the  time.  There  is,  however, 
only  the  difference  of  a  year  in  the  average  time  in  com- 
mitting the  first  offense  and  in  entering  a  life  of  prostitu- 
tion. The  graph  which  illustrates  this  was  made  by  using 
percentages  in  order  to  have  comparable  curves. 

182 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

Various  Other  Contributing  Factors:  —  There  has 
been  considerable  discussion  as  to  the  relative  influence 
of  country  and  city  life  in  the  production  of  character 
which  leads  to  an  irregular  sexual  life.  We  have 
registered  the  birthplace  of  all  the  women  included  in 
this  study.  We  find  that  out  of  the  491  American- 
born  women,  404  were  born  in  cities  while  only  85  are 
known  to  have  been  country-born.  Of  the  city-born, 
290  or  59.2  percent  of  the  total  number  of  American- 
born  were  born  in  New  York  City.  So  far  as  this 
goes,  it  does  not  support  the  contention  that  the  ranks 
of  prostitution  are  recruited  from  country  girls  brought 
to  the  city  for  the  purpose  of  immorality.  We  inquired 
of  139  girls  in  the  institution  at  the  time  the  study  was 
made  who  were  born  outside  of  New  York  City  but 
practised  prostitution  there,  why  they  had  come  to  New 
York.  Seventy-eight  of  these  claim  to  have  come  to 
the  city  with  their  families,  who  moved  there  for 
economic  reasons.  Only  9  admit  having  come  with 
the  purpose  of  entering  the  life;  one  came  with  her 
lover;  10  "to  see  New  York";  26  for  work  and 
II  claim  that  they  ran  away  from  home  to  escape  un- 
pleasant conditions  and  came  to  New  York  simply  be- 
cause it  was  the  handiest  thing  to  do.  Only  4  were 
unwilling  to  answer  the  question.  In  none  of  these 
cases  had  we  any  information  which  would  contradict 
the  statements  made  by  the  girls. 

We  have  previously  stated  that  279  of  the  total  num- 
ber studied  were  in  the  institution  when  this  special 
study  began.  We  were  interested  to  know  how  many  of 
them  were  practising  prostitution  continuously  and  liv- 

183 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

ing  entirely  by  it.  One  hundred  and  sixty-six  claim  to 
have  been  practising  it  continuously  from  the  time  they 
began;  55  either  did  not  care  to  answer  or  gave 
unsatisfactory  answers  in  the  sense  that  they  were 
obviously  misleading;  58  claim  to  have  been  practising 
prostitution  intermittently  simply  to  eke  out  their  wages 
or  to  get  extra  money.  Thirty-two  of  the  girls  who  were 
practising  it  at  intervals  and  43  who  were  practising  it 
continuously,  were  engaged  in  trade.  Of  these,  domestic 
servants  were  the  largest  single  group,  with  factory  opera- 
tives second.  The  girls  who  were  working  at  trades  ex- 
cluding domestic  service,  were  for  the  most  part  earning 
small  wages ;  but  the  number  of  cases  for  which  we  have 
this  data  are  few,  too  few  on  which  to  base  any  conclu- 
sions. The  weekly  earnings  from  prostitution  as  given  by 
146  girls  who  gave  a  maximum  and  of  95  girls  who  gave 
a  minimum,  is  also  to  be  taken  with  allowances.  See 
Table  XIX.  It  is  our  general  experience  that  the  ma- 
jority of  prostitutes  have  little  conception  of  the  value  of 
money.  They  earn  it  easily  and  spend  it  as  easily.  Even 
among  those  who  claim  to  make  far  more  than  the 
wages  of  even  well  paid  working  girls,  it  is  not  infre- 
quent to  find  young  women  without  changes  of  under- 
clothing, Thesf,  of  course,  are  the  women  who  are  not 
patronized  by  a  well-to-do  class  of  men. 

As  indicative  of  the  character  of  the  girl,  their  state- 
ments as  to  the  reasons  for  their  first  sexual  offense 
and  of  what  they  believe  to  be  the  causes  leading  up  to 
prostitution  as  a  career  are  illuminating.  One  hundred 
and  eight  out  of  279  claim  that  their  first  wrong-doing 
was  because  they  yielded  to  a  man  whom  they  loved; 

184 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

57  admit  that  it  was  for  pay;  62  claim  to  have  been  forced 
into  the  first  act ;  23  yielded  where  there  was  no  love  and 
where  neither  money  nor  force  was  used,  but  succumbed 
through  weakness  of  will ;  two  only  state  they  did  it  be- 
cause they  liked  it ;  27  "  could  not  remember  why."  See 
Table  XXI. 

As  will  be  seen  when  we  discuss  the  mentality  of 
the  girls,  they  are  not  as  a  class  given  to  introspection 
or  self-analysis.  They  are  as  a  rule,  incapable  of  this 
even  if  they  try.  It  appeared  to  us  worth  while,  how- 
ever, to  ask  them  what  they  thought  were  the  reasons 
that  led  them  into  an  immoral  life.  It  is  a  very  rare 
thing  for  a  girl  to  admit  that  she  would  be  willing  to 
have  a  younger  sister  enter  the  life  and  this  often  can  be 
used  as  a  key  to  secure  their  willingness  to  discuss  the  sit- 
uation. Two  hundred  and  seventy-nine  girls  gave  671 
reasons.  We  have  grouped  them  as  well  as  we  can.  The 
surprising  thing  is  that  very  few  directly  economic  reasons 
are  given.  It  might  be  supposed  that  in  friendly  conversa- 
tion, a  girl  would  wish  to  make  the  greatest  possible  excuse 
for  herself,  and  that  the  one  most  ready  to  hand  would 
be  the  inability  to  earn  a  living.  But  in  only  19  cases 
was  this  given  as  an  excuse;  and  by  referring  to 
a  similar  table  for  street  cases,  it  will  be  noticed  that 
only  139  out  of  1,106  gave  a  directly  economic  rea- 
son. It  will  be  noted  that  only  7  out  of  671  gave 
previous  use  of  drink  and  drugs.  As  a  result  of  ex- 
perience, I  should  say  that  drink  is  a  consequence  rather 
than  a  cause  of  a  life  of  prostitution,  although  a  good 
many  girls  have  admitted  to  me  that  their  first  wrong- 
doing occurred  after  taking  an  unaccustomed  drink.     In 

185 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

this  connection  our  medical  records  at  Bedford  with  re- 
gard to  the  use  of  alcoholic  drinks,  drugs  and  cigarettes, 
show  that  at  entrance  112  individuals,  or  17  percent  of 
the  647  women  studied  were  suffering  from  one  or  the 
other  alone,  or  from  combinations,  as  shown  in  the 
following  table : 

EXCESSIVE  USE  OF  ALCOHOLIC  DRINKS.  DRUGS  AND 
CIGARETTES 

Alcohol  45 

Drugs    : 23 

Cigarettes 7 

Alcohol  and  cigarettes 18 

Alcohol  and  drugs 8 

Drugs   and  cigarettes    5 

Alcohol,  drugs  and  cigarettes   6 

Total   112  17.3% 

Not  suffering  at  entrance  from  effects  of  above  535  82.6 

647 

Five  hundred  and  thirty-five  showed  no  injurious  effects 
so  far  as  was  evident  from  a  physical  examination.  We 
cannot  give  figures  as  to  the  exact  number  who  used 
alcohol  or  cigarettes  in  moderation.  We  believe  the 
number  to  be  high. 

Sixteen  of  the  647  were  tubercular  and  were  trans- 
ferred to  institutions  for  tuberculosis.  No  examination 
of  the  sputum  was  made  except  in  cases  of  suspects. 
Seven  others  were  epileptic  and  there  was  one  case  of 
chorea  (St.  Vitus  Dance). 

Mentality:  —  Of  peculiar  value,  in  view  of  the  public 
interest  in  the  question  of  mental  defect  as  a  cause  of 
delinquency,  is  a  study  of  the  mentality  of  our  647 
women.     Twenty  have  been  pronounced  insane  by  com- 

186 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

missions  in  lunacy  and  have  been  transferred  to  asylums 
for  the  insane.  Three  others  will  probably  have  to  be 
transferred;  107  were  unhesitatingly  pronounced  dis- 
tinctly feeble-minded.  Not  all  of  our  647  cases  have 
been  examined  by  our  psychologist.  One  hundred  and 
sixteen,  however,  have  had  laboratory  tests  of  various 
sorts.  Among  these  tests,  all  have  been  given  the  Binet 
test.     The  result  has  been  as  follows : 

MENTALITY  BY  BINET  TEST 
Showing  mentality  of    s  year  old  child  2 

u  it  a        fT         a  ti  u  — 

M  «  «        _.         «  «  i(  /; 

it  «  «       o        «  «         «  /: 

"  '*  "     9      "        "      "        ..............  29 

10  44 

M  ((  «      ^.  «  «  «  If- 

M  M  "12  "  "  "  2 

"n6 

The  44  who  have  the  mentality  of  a  ten  year  old 
child  and  under  were  unhesitatingly  pronounced  mentally 
defective.  The  72  showing  mentality  from  ten  to  twelve 
years  may  possibly  not  be  so-called.  The  6y  others  in- 
cluded among  the  107  are  those  so  mentally  defective  that 
there  can  be  no  question  as  a  matter  of  observation. 
Fifty-two  others  are  distinctly  border  line  cases.  This 
is  the  group  which  gives  the  most  trouble  in  all  reforma- 
tory institutions.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  90  percent  of 
all  disciplinary  difficulties  come  from  cases  of  this  sort. 
They  can  be  easily  divided  into  at  least  two  groups.  Thus 
divided,  26  are  girls  who  can  be  taught  very  little 
in  school,  whose  general  intelligence  is  low,  but  who 
may   perhaps    be   able   to   learn   a   certain   amount  of 

187 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

manual  labor ;  these  cannot  "  stay  good "  any  length 
of  time.  The  other  26  are  those  who  do  well  in 
school,  are  capable  of  mastering  even  such  subjects 
as  algebra  and  bookkeeping,  but  who  have  no  moral  sense 
or  continuity  of  purpose.  Eleven  others  are  also  prop- 
erly in  this  class  but  dififer  from  the  two  preceding 
groups  in  the  character  of  their  instability.  If  they 
were  boys  they  would  be  tramps.  They  are  all  girls  who 
have  run  away  from  home,  sometimes  a  number  of 
times,  as  well  as  from  any  place  where  they  are  put  to 
service. 

The  foregoing  figures  mean  that  193  individuals, 
or  29.8  percent,  of  the  number  studied  are  decidedly 
mentally  defective.  This  is  an  extremely  conservative 
estimate. 

With  the  facilities  which  we  are  to  have  in  the  Labora- 
tory of  Social  Hygiene  under  the  auspices  of  the  Bureau 
of  Social  Hygiene,  we  expect  to  get  much  more  definite 
results  not  only  as  to  the  mentality  but  also  as  to  the 
physical  condition  and  the  social  relations  of  the  young 
women  under  our  care. 

Venereal  Disease:  —  The  records  of  the  Bedford  Re- 
formatory for  girls  show  that  20.56  percent  of  the  647 
inmates  have  clinical  manifestations  of  venereal  disease. 
The  facts  are  summarized  in  the  following  table : 

Total  number  of  inmates   647 

Number  free  from  clinical  manifestations  of  disease   514 

Number  showing  clinical  manifestations  of  disease 133 

Of  the  last  named : 

Number  with  syphhilis  61 

gonorrhoea    54 

syphilis  and   gonorrhoea    9 

"         "     disease  unnamed 8 

"         "     chancre   i 

Total   133  (20.56%) 

188 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

A  series  of  complement  fixation  tests  on  blood  specimens 
from  466  of  the  inmates  show,  however,  that  a  very  much 
larger  number  are  infected  with  either  syphilis  or  gonor- 
rhoea or  both  of  these  diseases.^  With  the  Wassermann 
test  176,  or  37.7  percent  gave  positive  reactions;  273,  or 
58.6  percent  gave  negative  reactions,  and  17,  or  3.6  per- 
cent gave  doubtful  reactions.  With  a  modification  of 
the  Wassermann  technique  where  the  tests  were  allowed 
to  stand  for  four  hours  at  ice  box  temperature  to  fix 
complement,  instead  of  the  usual  one  hour  at  37° C  in 
the  incubator,  224,  or  48  percent  gave  positive  reactions, 
212,  or  45.4  percent  gave  negative  reactions  and  30,  or 
6.4  percent  gave  doubtful  reactions,  showing  an  increase 
of  10.3  percent  of  positive  reactions  for  syphilis  over  the 
method  of  fixing  complement  at  37°C.  The  same  sera 
were  tested  by  the  complement  fixation  test  for  gonor- 
rheal infection  with  the  result  that  134  or  29  percent 
gave  positive  reactions ;  234,  or  50  percent  gave  negative 
reactions  and  98,  or  21  percent  gave  doubtful  reactions, 
fixing  complement  at  37 °C.  for  one  hour.  When  the 
ice  box  method  of  fixation  was  used,  306  or  65.6  percent 
gave  positive  reactions;  loi,  or  21.7  percent  gave  nega- 
tive reactions  and  59,  or  12.6  percent  gave  doubtful  re- 
actions, showing  an  increase  of  36.9  percent  of  positive 
results  over  the  method  of  fixing  complement  at  37°C. 
in  the  incubator. 

Vaginal  smears  from  the  same  persons  were  examined 
but  it  was  possible  to  demonstrate  the  presence  of 
the  gonococcus  in  but  five  of  them,  although  many  of 

» These  tests  were  made  by  Dr.  Archibald  McNeil,  of  the  Re- 
search Laboratory,  Department  of  Health,  New  York  City. 

189 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

them  show  the  presence  of  numerous  pus  corpuscles.* 
The  full  significance  of  the  results  above  stated  does 
not  appear  until  the  statistics  are  summarized.  Of  the 
466  girls  tested,  only  50,  that  is,  10.7  percent,  are  found 
to  be  free  from  venereal  infection.  Practically  90  percent 
showed  infection;  170,  or  36.4  percent  gave  positive  re- 
actions for  both  syphilis  and  gonorrhoea;  27,  or  5.79  per- 
cent were  positive  for  syphilis  only,  and  117,  or  25.1 
percent  were  positive  for  gonorrhoea  only.** 

Offenses:  —  Not  all  of  the  647  cases  studied  were  com- 
mitted to  Bedford  for  prostitution;  but  all  were  leading 
the  lives  of  prostitutes  in  New  York  City  at  the  time  of 
their  commitment   and  the  specific  offense  which  they 

*A11  smears  were  prepared  and  examined  in  duplicate  and  were 
stained  by  Grams  method,  pure  cultures  of  staphylococci  and  colon 
bacilli  being  used  as  controls.  In  one  case  the  smear  was  positive 
and  the  complement  fixation  test  'or  gonorrhoea  was  negative,  but 
as  a  rule  antibodies  against  the  gonococcus  do  not  appear  in  the 
blood  during  the  acute  stage  of  the  disease,  so  it  may  frequently 
happen  that  we  may  have  positive  smears  and  negative  comple- 
ment fixation  tests  in  recent  cases.  At  a  later  period,  however,  the 
complement  fixation  test  is  almost  invariably  positive. 

The  complement  fixation  tests  were  all  performed  in  duplicate 
as  a  check  on  any  possible  errors  in  technique.  The  anti-sheep 
haemolytic  system  with  inactive  sera  was  used  with  the  alcoholic 
extract  guinea  pig  heart  for  an  antigen  in  the  syphilis  tests  and  an 
antigen  prepared  from  ten  varieties  of  gonococci  was  used  in  the 
tests  for  gonorrhoea. 

All  of  the  tests  were  made  in  sets  of  twelve,  each  set  being  fully 
controlled. 

The  blood  specimens  were  unaccompanied  by  histories  and  the 
laboratory  results  were  not  in  any  way  influenced  by  clinical  find- 
ings. 

'  These  percentages  were  taken  from  the  combined  results  of  the 
tests  made  at  both  incubator  and  ice  box  temperature. 

190 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

committed  was  an  incident  in  the  life  of  prostitution.* 
Table  XXIV  shows  that  105  women  or  16.22  percent  were 
convicted  of  felonies,  while  450,  or  69.55  percent  were 
convicted  of  offenses  directly  connected  with  prostitu- 
tion. The  25  cases  committed  as  disorderly  children 
were  girls  under  eighteen  years  of  age  whose  parents  or 
relatives  caused  their  arrest  and  brought  them  into  court 
as  the  only  means  of  taking  them  from  the  life.  The  38 
commitments  for  vagrancy  were  under  Subdivision  3 
and  4  of  Section  887  of  the  Code  of  Criminal  Procedure, 
which  defines  a  vagrant  as  "  a  person  who  has  contracted 
an  infectious  or  other  disease,  in  the  practise  of  drunken- 
ness or  debauchery,  requiring  charitable  aid  to  restore 
him  to  health "  or  "  a  common  prostitute  who  has  no 
lawful  employment  whereby  to  maintain  herself." 

The  stories  of  the  following  girls  will  illustrate  the 
relation  between  prostitution  and  crime  in  the  cases  of 
women  sent  to  us  for  felonies  or  misdemeanors : 

A.  B.  was  a  girl  of  eighteen,  convicted  of  manslaughter 
in  the  second  degree.  She  was  not  only  leading  a  life 
of  prostitution  but  was  supporting  her  lover  by  it.  As 
is  so  often  the  case,  she  was  very  fond  of  the  man  and 
intensely  jealous  when  another  girl  won  him  away.  She 
bought  a  sharp  knife  and  carried  it  for  a  month  before 
she  met  the  girl,  who  had  tried  to  avoid  her.  When  at 
last  they  met,  our  girl  stabbed  her  rival  so  seriously  that 
she  died  from  the  effects. 

C.  D.  was  also  only  eighteen  years  of  age.     She  was 

«That  is  to  say,  the  only  girls  who  figure  in  the  present  study 
were  girls  who  were  before  commitment  engaged  in  prostitution  in 
New  York  City. 

191 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

convicted  of  shooting  her  lover.  The  time  had  come 
when  they  were  no  longer  happy  together.  A  quarrel 
arose  on  the  street  over  a  trivial  matter.  She  wished 
to  go  to  one  place  and  he  to  another.  Neither  would 
yield.  He  started  across  the  street  to  go  his  own  way. 
She  drew  a  pistol  and  shot  him  dead.  Asked  how  she 
happened  to  have  a  loaded  pistol  in  her  possession,  she 
said  that  she  has  always  carried  one  ever  since  she  came 
to  New  York.  She  thought.it  necessary  for  self-pro- 
tection. 

The  story  of  E.  F.,  convicted  of  grand  larceny  in  the 
first  degree,  was  as  follows :  She  came  north  from  a 
southern  city  thirteen  years  ago  with  her  mother,  who 
died  soon  after.  She  had  had  a  lover  before  her  mother's 
death.  By  him  she  had  an  illegitimate  child.  After  the 
child  was  born  he  married  her  but  they  were  not  happy 
together.  Another  man  coaxed  her  away  from  her  hus- 
band. She  claims  he  put  her  on  the  street,  that  she  was 
violently  in  love  with  him  and  supported  him  by  prostitu- 
tion. Finally  she  was  with  a  man  whose  watch  she  ad- 
mired and  coveted  for  her  lover.  She  stole  it  and  gave  it 
to  her  lover  in  whose  possession  it  was  found.  Both 
were  convicted. 

G.  H.  was  a  woman  of  twenty-four  convicted  of  rob- 
bery. She  had  a  husband  and  two  children.  The  hus- 
band was  entirely  able  and  willing  to  support  her.  She 
became  addicted  to  the  use  of  opium.  She  claims  it  was 
first  prescribed  by  a  physician  during  an  illness.  As 
the  habit  grew,  she  stole  money  from  the  till  in  her  hus- 
band's shop  to  supply  herself  with  the  drug.  The  re- 
sulting friction  between  herself  and  her  husband  finally 

192 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

caused  her  to  leave  home  and  enter  a  life  of  prostitution. 
She  had  been  living  the  life  for  two  years  at  the  time  of 
her  arrest  for  robbing  a  man  of  a  diamond  pin. 

Three  women,  sentenced  for  corrupting  the  morals 
of  a  minor,  had  young  girls  with  them  whom  they  had 
brought  to  the  city  for  immoral  purposes. 

The  cases  of  assault  were  for  the  most  part  girls  who 
had  engaged  in  fist  fights,  usually  on  account  of  rivalry. 

The  attempted  suicide  was  a  girl  who  had  tired  of 
the  life  which  she  had  led  since  she  was  fourteen  years 
old  and  saw  no  other  way  out  of  it.  She  had  made 
three  unsuccessful  attempts  before  she  was  sentenced 
to  Bedford. 

Previous  Records: — The  law  prohibits  the  sentencing 
of  women  to  the  reformatory  who  have  previously  served 
a  term  in  a  state  prison.  With  this  limitation  the  judge 
has  the  power  of  sending  those  who  have  served  number- 
less previous  sentences  for  minor  offenses  if  in  his  judg- 
ment there  is  hope  of  reform  in  the  particular  case.  Con- 
trary to  the  impression  of  many  people,  it  is  a  very  rare 
thing  for  a  girl  or  woman  to  be  sentenced  to  an  institu- 
tion for  what  is  really  a  first  offense.  Never  in  our  ex- 
perience has  a  previously  innocent  girl  been  so  sentenced. 

Throwing  light  on  the  history  of  the  prostitutes  com- 
mitted to  Bedford,  Table  XXV  gives  us  some  informa- 
tion as  to  the  various  institutions  in  which  they  spent 
time  previous  to  the  Bedford  commitment.  The  first 
section  of  the  table  shows  that  305,  or  47.1  percent  have 
had  previous  institution  experiences.  In  cases  where 
these  girls  have  been  in  more  than  one  institution,  this 
first  portion  of  the  table  gives  the  institution  in  which  she 

193 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

has  spent  the  most  time.  Out  of  647  cases,  255,  or  39.4 
percent  only,  are  not  known  to  have  been  at  least  previ- 
ously arrested.  These  figures  give  the  data  that  we  know. 
The  probabilities  are  that  the  tables  understate  the  facts. 
The  latter  half  of  the  table  shows  the  variegated  experi- 
ence of  a  number  of  the  women.  We  have  no  comparable 
data  for  the  cases  from  other  institutions. 

Conclusion:  —  As  this  is  a  statistical  study,  we  have  n.ot 
touched  upon  various  phases  of  the  lives  of  prostitutes 
which  are  of  general  public  interest.  This  is  because 
we  had  not  sufficiently  accurate  data  to  warrant  giving 
figures  or  percentages.  For  example,  the  relation  of  the 
women  to  the  men  whom  they  support  is  a  matter  where 
verifiable  data  are  very  hard  to  get.  An  increasingly 
large  percentage  of  the  women  under  our  care  state  that 
they  were  turning  over  the  whole  or  a  part  of  their  wages 
to  their  lovers.  In  other  cases  we  were  pretty  well  as- 
sured that  this  was  the  case  although  it  was  denied  by  the 
girl. 

As  a  result  of  our  twelve  years'  experience  we  be- 
lieve that  there  is  an  increasing  number  of  young  women 
who  live  in  furnished  rooms  and  take  their  patrons  to 
hotels.  A  larger  proportion  of  prostitutes  in  our  early 
days  lived  in  houses  of  ill  fame.  Now  in  many  instances, 
even  if  their  work  is  in  these  houses,  they  live  outside 
and  go  to  the  houses  only  for  business  purposes.  A  case 
in  point  is  that  of  a  girl  only  sixteen  years  of  age 
who  worked  in  one  of  the  houses  conducted  by  the 
so-called  "  syndicate."  She  was  living  with  a  young 
Italian  who  had  lured  her  from  her  home.  He  conducted 
her  to  this  house  every  afternoon  at  four  o'clock,  calling 

194 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

for  her  at  five  or  six  next  morning  and  receiving  her 
earnings  from  the  woman  who  ran  the  house. 

A  number  of  the  young  women  included  in  this  study 
have  figured  in  white  slave  cases.  These  commercial- 
ized phases  of  the  social  evil  are  dealt  with  elsewhere  in 
this  report. 


195 


STATISTICAL  TABLES 

ACCOMPANYING  CHAPTER  VIII 

These  tables  comprise  ( i )  Analysis  of  histories  of  cases 
at  Bedford;  the  histories  in  question  were  carefully  com- 
piled from  the  records  and  from  personal  conferences  and 
in  so  far  as  possible  they  were  revised  and  verified  in  the 
light  of  experience,  outside  inquiry,  etc.  (2)  Similar 
analysis  of  cases  from  seven  institutions  in  New  York 
State  and  city  other  than  Bedford;  this  material  was  gath- 
ered in  different  ways.  In  some  institutions  two  trained 
investigators  interrogated  the  girls,  checking  up  their  re- 
plies by  the  records  of  the  institution  wherever  possible; 
in  two  institutions,  information  was  obtained  from 
the  records  alone;  in  one^  from  the  girls  alone.  (3) 
Analysis  of  histories  of  street,  hotel,  and  other  cases; 
these  data  were  obtained  by  an  experienced  woman  investi- 
gator who  interviewed  the  girls  under  conditions  as 
favorable  as  possible  to  her  object. 

In  the  matter  of  earnings,  etc.,  where  corroboration 
was  in  the  nature  of  things  impossible,  no  responsibility 
for  the  accuracy  of  the  statements  made  by  the  girls  is  as- 
sumed. 


197 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


GRAPH  ILLUSTRATING  TABLE  I 


GRAPH  ILLUSTRATING  TABLE  II 


199 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  II 


A.  White 


BEDFORD  CASES 

NATIONALITY  OF   PARENTS  IN   DETAIL 


I.  Both  parents  foreign,  born  in  the  same  country 

Austria  (i8  Jews) 22    . 

Bohemia 3 

Canada    2 

Denmark 2 

England n 

Finland 3 

France      9 

Germany  (11  Jews) 67 

Holland 3 

Hungary 12 

India I 

Ireland 65 

Italy •    •  *2 

Norway i 

Nova  Scotia 2 

Poland * 6 

Roumania  (i  Jew) 2 

Russia  (57  Jews) 60 

Scotland      3 

Sweden 2 

Switzerland i 

Wales , I     290 

II.  Both  parents  foreign,  bom  in  different  countries 
Birthplace  of  father  Birthplace  of  mother 

Australia England 

Austria Germany 

Canada England 

Cuba Spain 

Denmark England 

England Denmark 

England Germany 

England Ireland 

England Wales 

France England 

France Germany 


200 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

TABLE  II — Continued 

II.  Both  parents  foreign,  born  in  different  countries — Continued 

Birthplace  of  father — Con.  Birthplace  of  mother — Con. 

France      Irish i 

Germany Bohemia i 

"  Denmark i 

"  France I 

Qew)     ....  Hungary  (Jew)     ....  3 

"  Russia I 

"  Switzerland i 

Hungary German     I 

Ireland England 3 

"      Scotland i 

"      Wales I 

Italy Roumania I 

Norway Ireland I 

Roumania    .......  Russia i 

Russia Austria I 

Scotland England i 

"  Ireland I 

Spain Portugal i 

Wales Mexico i       37     327 


III.  Father  of  foreign  birth,  mother,  United  States 

Belgium United  States I 


Canada  . 
England  . 
Finland  . 
Germany 
Ireland .  , 
Scotland  . 


4 
6 
I 

10 
10 

2       34 


IV.  Father  born  in  U.  S.,  mother,  foreign 

United  States Bohemia i 

"             "         Canada 2 

"             "         England 3 

"             "         Germany 4 

"             "         Ireland 15 

Italy I 

"             "         Norway I 

"            "         Roumania i       28 


201 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

TABLE  II — Continued 

V.  Father  of  foreign  birth,  mother  unknown 

Austria I 

Germany 3 

Ireland 2 

Scotland i         7 

VI.  Father  unknown,  mother  of  foreign  birth 

England 2 

France  2 

Germany 2 

Ireland i         7 

Total  Number  with  One  Foreign  Parent  Known  76 

VII.  Both  parents  born  in  the  U.  S 120 

VIII.  Father  born  in  the  U.  S.,  mother  unknown  ...  5 

IX.  Father  unknown,  mother  born  in  U.  S 5 

X.  Both  parents  unknown 25 

Total  WmrE  558 


B.  Colored 

I.  Both  parents  of  foreign  birth 

Father's  birthplace  Mother's  birthplace 

Jamaica Jamaica I 

Cuba Cuba      I 

West  Indies South  America i 

II.  One  parent  of  foreign  birth 

Ireland United  States i 

West  Indies "           "       i 

United  States      ....     England i 

....     Ireland i 

III.  Both  parents  born  in  U.  S 68 

IV.  Father  unknown,  mother  born  in  U.  S 4 

V.  Birthplaces  of  both  parents  unknown 10 


Total  Colored  89 

Total  Number  of  Cases  647 

202 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


Table  III 
BEDFORD  CASES 

NATIONALITY   OF   PARENTS 

Summary 


Both  parents 
foreign 

Born    in    the 
same    country 

White  290 

292 

330 

Colored    2 

Bom  in  differ- 
ent countries 

White    37 

38 

Colored    i 

51.     % 

Mother  U.S. 

White     34 

36 

One  parent 
foreign 

Colored    2 

Father  U.S. 

White    28 

30 

80 

Colored    2 

Mother       un- 
known 

White 

7 

Father        un- 
known 

White 

7 

12.37% 

Both  parents  born  in  the  U.S. 

White  120 

18-54% 
10.52 

188 

Colored  68 

29  06% 

One     parent 
born  in   the 
U.     S.,     the 
other  un- 
known 

Mother  U.S. 

White      5 

9 

2.30% 

Colored    4 

Father  U.S. 

White 

5 

Both  parents  unknown 

White     25 

5-27% 
35. 

7-57% 

Colored  10 

Total 

647 

203 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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204 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

Table  V 
BEDFORD  CASES 

OCCUPATIONS   OF   THE   FATHERS 


Professions 

Architect 2 

Civil  engineer i 

Colored  preacher i 

Lawyer i 

Minister      i 

Music  teacher i 

Musician 2 

Physician 2 

Surveyor 2 

Trained  nurse i 

Veterinary  surgeon i 

Total 15 

Own  their  own  Business 

Brewer i 

Contractor 5 

Fruit  dealer 2 

Horse  dealer 4 

Hotel  keeper  .    .    ; 2 

Li-^ery  stable  keeper     ....  i 

Peddler 8 

Saloonkeeper 11 

Shopkeeper 29 

Total 63 

Business  Positions 

Insurance  agent 2 

Milkman i 

Real  estate  agent 4 

Salesman 21 

Total 28 

Mechanical  Trades 

Blacksmith 6 

Bricklayer 3 

Brickmaker i 

Builder 5 

Cabinet-maker 2 

Carpenter 13 

Carriage-maker i 

Cooper    I 


Electrician 2 

Engineer  (railroad) 4 

Engineer  (stationary)       ...  15 

Gas  fitter i 

Glazier i 

Hardwood  polisher i 

Iron  worker 8 

Machinist 7 

Mechanic 3 

Painter 14 

Plasterer i 

Plumber 3 

Printer 6 

Slate  roofer i 

Stone  cutter 2 

Stone  mason 9 

Terra  cotta  worker i 

Tinsmith 2 

Walking  delegate i 

Total 114 

Clothing  Trades 

Cap  maker 4 

Cloak  maker .2 

Designer 2 

Finisher  on  corsets i 

Presser 6 

Tailor 22 

Total 37 

Other  Trades 

Baker 2 

Barber 8 

Bartender 2 

Basket  maker i 

Butcher 10 

Carpet  layer i 

Cigar  maker 10 

Draughtsman i 

Mat  maker I 

Photographer i 

Reed  and  rattan  worker  ...  i 


205 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


TABLE  V — Continued 


Other  Trades — Continued 

Shoemaker lo 

Watchmaker i 

Weaver 2 

Total 51 

Clerical  Positions 

Bookkeeper 3 

Clerk  of  Court       i 

Excise  officer i 

Total 5 

Laborers 

Derrick  rigger i 

Electric  light  trimmer  ....  i 

Employed  on  boats 11 

Employed  on  railroad  ....  12 

Farmers  and  farm  hands  .    .  34 

Hod  carrier 3 

Laborer 40 

Miner 3 

Stableman 3 

Street  sweeper 2 

Teamster 18 

Watchman 4 

Total 132 

Mill  and  Factory  Positions 

Factory 13 

Mill  hand 7 

Total 20 

Domestic  Positions 

Coachman 7 

Cook 9 

Elevator  man i 

Gardener 3 


Janitor 5 

Porter 3 

Waiter 7 

Total 35 

Foreman 7 

Asst.  Supt.  Life  Insiirance  Co.  i 

Conductor 2 

Sea  captain 5 

Total 15 

In  Public  Service 

Fireman 5 

Lighthouse  keeper i 

Mail  carrier i 

Policeman 5 

Soldier 5 

Total 17 

Miscellaneous 

Collector 

Gambler 

Sandwich  man 

Telegraph  operator 

Ticket  speculator 

Undertaker 3 

Total 8 

"Does  not  work  on  account 
of  kidney  trouble  and  faint- 
ing fits" I 

Unknown 7 

No  statistics 99 

Total 107 

Total  Number    ....  647 


206 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


Table  VI 
BEDFORD  CASES 

NUMBER  OF  CHILDREN  IN  THE   FAMILIES   FROM   WHICH   THE   GIRLS   COME 


No.  of  Children 


Cases 


1.  .  .  . 

2.  .  .  . 

3-  •  .  . 

4.  .  .  . 

5.  .  .  . 

6.  .  .  . 

7.  .  .  . 

8.  .  .  . 

9.  .  .  . 

10.  .  .  . 

11.  .  .  . 

12.  .  .  . 

13-  ••  • 

Unknown 


78 
95 
126 
no 
95 
50 

44 
22 
II 
5 
5 
o 
I 
5 


Total  Number  of  Cases 647 


Average  size  of  family 


3  99 


GRAPH 

ILLUSTRATING 

above 

TABLE 

VI 

Mi 

I 

\ 

1 

s 

1 

\ 

1 

\ 

100 

\ 

1 

\ 

/ 

1 

/ 

/ 

\ 

75 

- 

\ 

' 

\ 

\ 

\ 

50 

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N 

v 

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1 

1 

I     la 

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0-   I3=number  of  children  in  the  fam'ily 


207 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  VII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

OCCUPATION  OF   MOTHER 


Actress I 

Canvasser 2 

Charge  of  Hotel  Linen  Room i 

Cook  (6  colored) lo 

Day's  work 46 

Domestic — General  housework  (6  colored)   .    .  9 

Dressmaker 4 

Factory  Operatives ii 

Housekeeper      4 

Janitress 13 

Laundress 17 

Midwife 6 

Milliner I 

Market  Woman i 

Nurse 9 

Peddler 2 

Small  Shopkeepers 7 

Tailoress i 


Total  145 


Total  number  of  cases,  647 
Percentage  of  occupied  mothers,  22.4 
208 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

Table  VIII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

EDUCATION 

Cannot  read  or  write  any  language — 15  American  born    50  T ■T2% 

Reads  and  writes  a  foreign  language — 5  read  a  little  Eng.    32  4.83% 

Read  and  write  a  little,  no  further  education  ....    192  29.67% 

Did  not  finish  primary  grades 70  10.82% 

Reached  but  did  not  finish  grammar  grades 257  39.72% 

Graduated  from  grammar  grades 25  3-86% 

Entered,  but  did  not  finish  high  school 13  2.00% 

Graduated  from  high  school 4  -77% 

One  year  in  normal  school      3  .46% 

Eight  months  at  college I  .15% 

Total  Number  of  Cases  647  100.00% 

GRAPH  ILLUSTRATING  table  VIII 


209 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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Wages  of 
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210 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


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211 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  X 
BEDFORD  CASES 

OCCUPATIONS 

No.  of  Per- 

Before  entering  prostitution                                                Cases  centages 

Bcx)k-binding 7  i .  08 

Clerk  in  small  shop 8  i .  23 

Clerk  in  department  store 40  6.18 

Domestic  (general  housework) 243  37 .  56 

Errand  girl 3  .46 

Factory  operative 127  19.62 

Janitress i  .15 

Laundry  employee 14  2.16 

Manicure 2  .30 

Millinery     13  2.00 

Office  work  (not  stenographers) 13  2.00 

Sewing  (handwork) 25  3. 86 

Steel  engraver I  .15 

Telephone  operator 9  1.39 

Theatrical  work  (chorus  or  vaudeville) 18  2.78 

Nurse  (not  graduate) 3  .46 

Waitress  (in  restaurants) 28  4  •  32 

No  work 92  14  27 


Total  647 


212 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


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213 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  XII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

SOCIAL  RELATIONS 

Married 193        29.8 

Single 454         70.1 

Total  647 

statement  of  219  women  with  regard  to  number  of  children 


Married 
women 


Pregnant  on  entering 

Miscarriage  previous  to  entering  Bedford 

One 66 

Two 19 

Three 7 

Eight I 


Legitimate 
children 


Single 
women 


Illegitimate 
children 


Pregnant  on  entering 

Miscarriage  previous  to  entering  Bedford 

One 63 

Two 10 

Total  Number  of  Cases 
No  children,  or  no  record  of  them 

Total 


I 

18 


93 
16 
18 

73 

219 
428 

647 


214 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


Table  XIII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

RELIGION 

Catholic 266  41-1% 

Jewish 123  19.0% 

Protestant 252  38.9% 

No  record 6  .9% 

Total  Number  of  Cases  647 

graph  illustrating  table  xui 


215 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  XIV 
BEDFORD  CASES 

AGE 
II 


III 


Years 
of  age 


Number  entering 
Bedford 


First  sexual 
offense 


Number  entering 
prostitution 


7 

9 

lo 

II 

12 

13 
14 
15 
i6 

17 
i8 

19 

20 
21 
22 

23 
24 

25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 


41 
65 

47 
65 
50 
61 

73 
48 

53 
40 
22 
20 
22 

24 
2 
I 
I 


86% 
34% 
05% 
26% 

05% 

71% 
43% 
28% 

42% 
19% 
18 

40% 
09% 
40% 

71% 
31% 
15% 
15% 


I 
I 
I 
I 

4 
12 

29 
43 
61 
40 

31 
28 

19 

15 

3 

6 

3 


I 

4 

9 

14 

20 

13 
10 

9 
6 

5 

I 
2 
I 

33M% 
33M% 
33M% 
33^% 
33  H% 
% 
66%% 

33^% 
33%% 
33  M% 
333^% 
33M% 
33H% 
00% 

% 
% 
% 

33H% 
33>i% 

I 

3 
II 

19 

40 

35 
32 
28 

31 
22 

17 

9 

10 

3 
6 

2 


37% 
12% 
08% 
06% 
87% 
01% 
90% 
41% 
52% 
18% 
32% 
35% 
72% 
12% 
23% 
74% 


Total 

No. 

cases 


647 


99  98% 


300 


100% 


269 


100% 


Aver- 
age 
Age 


20  yr.  11.06  mos. 


17  yrs.  16  days 


18  yrs.  9.18  mos. 


Highest 32 

Lowest 15 

Average 20.09 

Mode 22 

Mean 23.5 

No.  of  cases   .    .    .  647 


Highest 
Lowest 
Average 
Mode  . 
Mean  . 
No.  of  cases 


.  28 

•  7 

•  17 
.  16 

•  175 
.300 


Highest 
Lowest 
Average 
Mode  . 
Mean  . 


.   28 

•    13 
.    18.7 
■    17 
18.5 


No.  of  cases  .  269 


216 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


GRAPH  ILLUSTRATING  TABLE  XIV 

(Made  from  Table  of  Percentages) 


20. 
19. 
18. 
17. 
16. 
15. 
14. 
13. 
12. 
II. 

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8. 
7. 

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5. 

4. 

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7  a    9   10    II    12  L3  14.  IS  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24  25  26  27  2S  29  30  31  32 

Age  a"t  en+ering  Bedford. 

Age  of  first  sexual  offense. 

_._._.._._  Age  of  entering  prostitution. 


217 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  XV 

BEDFORD  CASES 

DISTRIBUTION   OF   AMERICAN   BORN 

♦City  born   .   . 

White       341 
Colored      63 

404 

82.48% 

Country  bom  . 

'    White         63 
Colored     22 

85 

17-47% 

Unknown    .   . 

2 

0.05% 

Total 

491 

"New  York  City,  290=59.20% 


GRAPH  illustrating  TABLE  XV 


218 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


Table  XVI 
BEDFORD  CASES 

REASONS     FOR     COMING    TO     NEW     YORK,     OF     THOSE     BORN     OUTSIDE 
NEW  YORK   CITY 

Ran  away  to  escape  home  conditions 1 1 

To  live  with  family      78 

To  obtain  work  or  easier  work 26 

To  practice  prostitution      9 

To  see  New  York 10 

With  lover I 

Unknown 4 

Total  139 

Table  XVII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

prostitution:      practiced  continuously  or  INTERRUPTEDLY 

Continuously 166        59.50% 

Married 19 

Living  with  parents ...     4 

Stealing 3 

Working 32  58        20.79% 

No  statistics 55         19.71% 

Total  Number  of  Cases  Considered  279 


Not  continuously 


219 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  XVIII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

TRADES  COMBINED   WITH   PROSTITUTION 

Trade  No.  of  Cases    Per  cent. 

Demonstrator l 

Clerk  in  department  store 4 

Domestic 22 

Factory  operative 17 

Laundry  employees 4 

Manicure i 

OflBce  work 2 

Sewing 2 

Theatrical  work 6 

Waitress 8 

Stealing     6 

Received  money  from  husband 2 

Prostitution  only      204            73  ■  1 1 

Total  279 


220 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


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221 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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222 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


GRAPHS  ILLUSTRATING  TABLE  XX 

Wages  in  Trades  excluding  Domestic  Service — 34  cases 


15 

10 

' 

i 

s 

/ 

\ 

/ 

'/ 

s 

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\ 

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0  SB  {.ISi  Z.tS(l3.if0  4.'iS3  5.!S3b.       7.        8.       9.        10.      II.       12.      li       14.       |5.       16.      17.       18. 

Hijhest  wages    18.00 


..  Loivest  wa^es      2.00 


Wages  in  Domestic  Service — 23  Cases 


— 

~ 

^ 

■■ 

^ 

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~ 

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~ 

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5 

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Highest  wages    15.00 

._ Lowest  wages       .50 


223 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  XXI 
BEDFORD  CASES 

CAUSE  OF  FIRSt   SEXUAL   OFFENSE 

Love io8        38.71% 


Pay 


AT  — :  J    /  Living  with  husband       i 
Mamed   |  Separlted  f  rom  "  10 


II 


Single 


Force 


46 
7 


Lover 17 

Playmate 4 

Stranger     .    .    .    .    .25 

Relative 

Lover 27 

Playmate 3 

Stranger 25        62 

Weakness 23 

Physical  predisposition 2 

Unknown 27 


57        20.43% 


22.22% 

8.24% 

.71% 

9  64% 


Total  Number  of  Cases  279 


Table  XXII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

MENTAL   CONDITION 

Insane — Transferred  to  asylums 20 

Insane  tendencies 3 

Feeble-minded  (distinctly  so) 107 

Border-line — neurotic 26 

Weak-willed — "  No  moral  sense  " 26 

"Wild" — truants — run-a-ways 11 

224 


193 


29-8% 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 


Table  XXIII 
BEDFORD  CASES 

CAUSES.      REASONS  GIVEN   BY   THE   GIRL 

A.  In  connection  with  her  family 

1.  Immorality  of  the  parents 15 

2.  Incompatibility 39 

3.  Neglect  and  abuse 26 

4.  No  mother  or  father  or  neither 166 

5.  Over  indulgence 10 

6.  Over  strictness 35 

7.  Poverty 9 

8.  Turned  out 6 

B.  In  connection  with  married  life 

1.  Death  of  husband 5 

2.  Desertion  by  husband 8 

3.  Immorality  (includes  cruelty  or  criminality)  ....  14 

4.  Incompatibility 26 

5.  Husband  put  girl  on  street 2 


306 


55 


C.  Personal  reasons 

1.  Bad  company  .^ 75 

2.  No  sex  instruction 10 

3.  Idle  or  lonely 5 

4.  Sick,  needed  the  money 4 

5.  Ruined  anyway lo 

6.  Lover  put  girl  on  the  street 10 

7.  Previous  use  of  drink  or  drugs 7 

8.  White  slave 2 

9.  Tired  of  drudgery 4 

10.  "Easy  money" 17 

n.  Dances 13 

12.  Lazy,  hated  work 20 

13.  Stage  environment 9 

14.  Love  of  the  life 15 

15.  Desertion  by  lover 3 

16.  Desire  for  pleasure  (theatre,  food,  clothes)   ....  48 

17.  Desire  for  money 38 

18.  Ashamed  to  go  home  after  first  escapade i        291 

D.  Economic  reasons 

1.  Can't  support  herself 5 

2.  Can't  support  herself  and  children i 

3.  Couldn't  find  work 13          '9 

Total  671 

225 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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o 


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0-.5  S-ti  rt  c  S 


226 


A  Study  of  Prostitutes  at  Bedford 

Table  XXV 
BEDFORD  CASES 

PREVIOUS  RECORDS,  SO  FAR  AS  CAN  BE  ASCERTAINED 

Bedford  State  Reformatory  for  women 13 

Catholic  Protectory 4 

County  jails 6 

Florence  Crittenton  Home 7 

Gerry  Society 4 

House  of  Good  Shepherd,  Brooklyn 20 

House  of  Good  Shepherd,  New  York 34 

House  of  Mercy,  Inwood 23 

House  of  Refuge,  Randall's  Island 15 

Insane  Asylums 2 

Magdalen  Asylum 16 

Massachusetts  State  Industrial  School,  Lancaster .  3 

New  York  Juvenile  Asylum '.    .    .    .  5 

New  York  State  Industrial  School,  Rochester    .    .  3 
New  York  State  Training  School  for  Girls,  Hudson    6 

Orphan  Asylum 20 

Penitentiaries 7 

Sherbourne  Prison I 

Washington  Square  Home 3 

Waverly  House 4                                           ' 

Wayside  Home 13 

Workhouse 65 

Various  other  homes  for  Wayward  Girls     ....  31        305        47.1 

Say  never  in  institution  and  never  arrested  previously 255 

Admit  one  or  more  previous  arrests,  but  got  off  with  fine,  sus- 
pended sentence  or  discharge,  and  claim  never  to  have  been  ' 

committed 66 

Admit  having  been  on  probation 21 

Total  Number  of  Cases  647 

OF   THE   above 

Arrested  twice,  once  fined,  once  on  probation I 

In  one  institution,  twice  arrested  and  once  on  probation 3 

In  one  institution,  three  arrests  and  on  probation I 

In  one  institution,  several  other  arrests 3                i 

In  one  institution,  workhouse  eight  times,  six  months  each     ...  I                j 

In  two  institutions 30               ] 

In  two  institutions,  several  other  arrests 6                i 

In  three  institutions 5                ^ 

In  three  institutions,  several  other  arrests 2 

In  four  institutions I                ; 

In  four  institutions,  several  times  Raymond  St.  Jail i               ; 

227  i 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


TABLE  XXV — Continued 

Six  months  in  workhouse,  four  times  arrested,  twice  fined  .... 

Workhouse  once,  six  times  arrested  and  fined 

Workhouse  once,  seven  times  arrested 

In  two  institutions,  workhouse  once,  fined  three  times,  and  on 

probation 

In  Madgalen,  twice;  Good  Shepherd,  once;  lo  days  in  workhouse; 

three  times  arrested ;  on  probation  once 

In  workhouse  twice;  arrested  six  times;  on  probation  once  .  .  . 
In  one  home ;   workhouse  twice ;  twice  fined,  and  once  discharged 

Workhouse,  three  terms 

Workhouse,  three  terms,  six  months  each;  four  times  fined  .  .  . 
In  three  institutions ;  workhouse,  three  times;  seven  other  arrests 
Arrested  about  30  times;  City  prison,  10  weeks;  workhouse,  6  terms 

fined  over  20  times 

Three  times  on  the  Island;  arrested  over  30  times 

Twice  at  Good  Shepherd,  workhouse  two  terms  and  arrested 

nine  times      

Two  and  one-half  years  House  of  Refuge,  arrested  five  times;  on 

Island  four  times 

Two  terms  at  Hudson;   three  arrests;   workhouse,  three  months; 

Bedford  for  third  time 

House  of  Refuge,  four  years;   Juvenile  Asylum,  one  year;   more 

than  40  times  at  the  workhouse,  once  on  probation  ,,,,.. 


GRAPH  ILLUSTRATING  TABLE  XXVI 


3^8 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 


Table  XXVI 


CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

BIRTHPLACE 


American  Born 

New  York  City 210 

Other  parts  of  N.  Y.  State    53 

Alabama 2 

Arizona i 

Arkansas i 

California 6 

Colorada i 

Connecticut 4 

Delaware 2 

District  Columbia  ....  3 

Florida 3 

Georgia 3 

Illinois 4 

Indiana 2 

Iowa o 

Kansas i 

Kentucky 2 

Louisiana o 

Maine o 

Maryland 5 

Massachusetts 24 

Michigan i 

Minnesota I 

Mississippi I 

Missouri o 

New  Hampshire     ....  I 

New  Jersey 17 

North  Carolina 6 

Ohio 3 

Oregon O 

Pennsylvania 23 

Rhode  Island 2 

South  Carolina 7 

Tennessee o 

Texas 3 

Virginia 8 

Vermont o 

West  Virginia o 

Wisconsin 2 

Unknown 33 

Total  435 


Foreign  Born 

Austro-Hungary  ...  34 

Canada      n 

England-Scotland    .    .  9 

Finland o 

France  4 

Galacia 2 

Germany 24 

Holland o 

India O 

Ireland 12 

Italy 6 

Mexico I 

Poland 9 

Roumania 2 

Russia 46 

Sweden 5 

Switzerland 2 

Venezuela I 

"^^est  Indies  7 

Total  No.  foreign  born  175     28 .  68  % 

"       "    American"  435     71 -31% 

Total  610 


229 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  XXVII 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

DISTRIBUTION    BETWEEN    CITY    AND  COUNTRY  OF   I47   CASES,   BORN    IN 
THE   UNITED   STATES 

City  bom 85     57.82% 

Country  born      62     42.18% 

Total  147 

Born  in  cities  of  New  York 52 

Born  in  cities  of  other  states 33 

Total  85 

Bom  in  country,  New  York  State I 

Bom  in  country,  other  states 61 

Total  62 

147 

Table  XXVIII 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

REASONS    FOR    COMING    TO    NEW    YORK    OF    4OO  CASES     BORN     OUTSIDE 
THE  CITY,   AMERICAN   AND  FOREIGN 

Ran  away  to  escape  home  conditions 4 

To  live  with  family  or  husband 63 

To  obtain  work,  or  easier  work 57 

To  practice  prostitution      42 

To  see  New  York lO 

With  lover ii 

Unknown  or  not  given 213 

Total  Number  Cases  400 
230 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 

Table  XXIX 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

EDUCATION 

Does  not  read  or  write  in  any  language 68  11.15% 

Reads  and  writes  a  foreign  language 20  3.28% 

Reads  and  writes  English,  no  further  education  ...   335  54.92% 

Finished  fifth  grade 34  5-57% 

Finished  Grammar  grades 74  12.13% 

Entered  High  School  or  Business  courses 36  5  90% 

Unknown 43  7.05% 


Total  Number  of  Cases  610 


100% 


Table  XXX 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 


occupations 


Before  entering  prostitution 
662  cases  used 

Artist 

Book-binding i 

Canvasser 2 

Chambermaid 34 

Clerk  in  small  store   ...  9 

Companion i 

Department  store  ....  70 

Errand  girl i 

Factory 215 

Domestic  service    .    .    .    .  117 

Laundry 16 

Librarian i 

Manicure 4 

Massage i 

Millinery 12 

Nurse  girl 34 

Office  work 20 

Palmist I 

Salvation  Army  worker    .  i 

Sewing 16 

Steel  Engraver i 

Stenographer 8 

Teacher    i 

Telephone  operator    ...  13 

Theatrical  work      ....  20 

Waitress 53 

No  work  ,   , 10 

Total  662 


After  entering  prostitution 
497  cases  used 


10.57%       10 

I 

32  46%       24 

1767%       20 

-    .    .* I 


3 

6 

Supported  by  prostitution  only  353 
Supported  by  husband  or  parents     23 

Stealing 11 

Unknown , 30 

Total  497 


231 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  XXXI 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 


Age 


Years 

Number  entering 

F»rs^ 

Number  entering 

of  age 

Institution 

sexual  offense 

prostitution 

6 

I 

7 

I 

8 

. . 

. , 

9 

I 

lo 

2 

II 

2 

5 

3 

12 

2 

9 

I 

13 

7 

14 

7 

33 

7 

15 

7 

67 

32 

16 

20 

59 

45 

17 

28 

83 

67 

i8 

43 

77 

73 

19 

54 

56 

59 

20 

51 

35 

66 

31 

31 

31 

37 

22 

54 

32 

35 

23 

41 

12 

25 

24 

54 

10 

24 

25 

31 

7 

13 

26 

31 

II 

9 

27 

20 

^ 

8 

28 

28 

6 

6 

29 

15 

I 

I 

30 

23 

5 

4 

31 

14 

2 

2 

32 

1, 

I 

2 

33 

34 

7 

35 

I 

36 

5 

3 

37 

2 

38 

I 

*  • 

39 

2 

40 

4 

I 

Total  . 

.   ...  598 

561 

522 

Highest  Age 

40 

40 

40 

Lowest  Age 

II 

6 

II 

Average 

22 . 66  years 

17.95 

19.60 

232 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 


r 

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;  O  <0  O 
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Ol  CM  -  — 


(O 

in    .  <J 
-  (0  <oo 


26S 

«ll  II 

O  (O 


233 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


p 
Pi 
o 

P 
w 


CO 


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w  w  o 
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apoyj 

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jg      « 

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aSeM  'apoj^ 

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10                  Tt 

33bm 
5S3Moq 

o         o 
q         lo 

M 

0         u 

?s3hSih 

o         o 

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0                   Tt 

oooif 

; 

oooSf 

oooEJ 

M                   M 

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XT, 

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M                       1 

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t^                  "* 

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ooSi$ 

TT             ^ 

oofrij 

■*                  M 

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M               W 

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PI               11 

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ts               00 

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to           1^ 

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, 

C  High 
Wages  of  Trades      377   cases 

excluding         < 
Domestic  Service  1   Low 

^  377  cases 

01 

u 

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0 

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3 

0 

& 

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i 

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is 

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234 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 


a 

CO 

X 

•^ 

X 

o 

a 

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H 

Sf 

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p 

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s 

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f2J 

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t 

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—  ^"^                            '■                   N 

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^  —  —          ■•-      . 

_  ^  —  —  '^-  ■' 

_^  —  "                              .      -                          ^ 

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^ 

^--^                            ,,••'■ 

^  ^                                        .  •    '' 

^ 

^y 

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^^-  =  -.i       " 

. . Id 

:::-^-       --  =  -  =  ^          g 

-    -   ■■-■-—  —  —  — 

~~--=-      -                 s 

^^--          c         : 

2    % 

_            V     8 

'"■  3g 

/"■ 

s= 

'  ■" 

II    w 

wxia 
a  o 
i  S 

«    «• 

-  o 


235 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


CO 


^  Q 


~ 

n 

"" 

-^ 

H"* 

>  <9 

4> 
0) 

a 
o 

JO 

0 
0 

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1  .  « 

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1 

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.  11 

7*8 

1 

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/ 

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err 



.^:r; 

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t^; 

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c 

> 

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c 
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1 
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u 

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c 

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> 

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236 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 


Table  XXXIII 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

SOCIAL   RELATIONS 

No  children 

Miscarriages  and  abortions 


One 

28 

Two 

7 

Three 

c 

Four 

I 

Five 

2 

Eight 

I 

One 

66 

Two , 

Three 

2 

Legitimate 
children 


Illegitimate 
children 


Unknown  

Total  Number  of  Cases  Where  Statistics  are  Given 


214 
36 


44 

68 
135 


497 


Table  XXXIV 

CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 
residence  of  girl  before  entering  prostitution 


Living  at  home  .    . 
Living  with  relatives 


Giving  all  they  made 66 

Giving  part 62 

Giving  all  they  made o 

Giving  part 22 

boarding  amount  paid  per  week 


$1.00    $1.50    $2.00    $2.50    $3.00    $3.50 
2  4  4  6  31  12 


4.00    $4.50    $6.00 
12  9  17 


$5.00    $7.00 
1  3 


.00  §10.00 
3 


128 


22 


104 


Total  number  cases,  where  statistics  are  given 254 


Pay- 


Married   • 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  XXXV 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

CAUSE  OF  FIRST   SEXUAL   OFFENSE 

Love 231     37.86% 

"Living  with  husband.    .    .     6 
Separated  from  husband  .   10 

Widow 51 

Put  on  street  by  husband  10     77  12.78% 

.Single 48     125    20.49% 

Relative u 

Lover 5 

Playmate 3 

Stranger 43      62     10.16% 

Weakness 26      4.26% 

f    Physical  predisposition 41       6.72% 

Unknown 125    20.49% 

Total  Number  of  Cases  6io 

Table  XXXVI 

INSTITUTION  CASES,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

prostitution,  practiced  continuously  or 
occasionally 

No.  cases  Percent. 


Force 


Occasionally 


Continuously 445 

Working  girls 48 

Married  women 27     75 

Unknown 14 

Cases  omitted,  first  offenders,  etc 76 


72.95 

12.29 

2.30 

12.46 


Total  Number  of  Cases  610 


238 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 


Q 

O 

Q 
W 

m 


5^ 

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ffi 

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H 

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0$ 

b 

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l-H 

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m       rt- 

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11         C4 

o 

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N         00 

s 

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l-l 

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a, 

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High  .    .    . 
Low   .    .    . 

n 

VO 

rt 

ON 

O 

u 

<u 

1— 1 

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> 

00 

lO 

< 

*(* 

6 

1^ 

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CO 
CO 

H 

o 

o 

J. 

^= 

o 

o 

N 

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o 

lO 

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^^ 

8 

VO 

n 

^ 

o 

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n 

01 

n 

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lO 

w 

CO 

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t«= 

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N 

rj- 

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o 

o 

h4 

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■* 

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W 

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o 

00 

\n 

O 

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00 

t^ 

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o 

t^ 

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«A 

lO 

\o 

««. 

fo 

& 

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o 

239 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Table  XXXVIII 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

DISPOSITION  OF  EARNINGS  FROM   PROSTITUTION 

To  lover  or  any  one  f  All  given 138 

acting  as  pimp,  ex-  \ 

cept  husband       [  Part  given 9         147 

To  husband 31 

To  parents  or  children •  .   .  45 

To  self 216 

Unknown 171 

Total  610 


Table  XXXIX 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

DISEASES  incidental   TO   PROSTITUTION 

(Clinically  Determined) 


Cases       Percent. 

No  disease 75        47.4 

Sjrphilis 25 

Gonorrhea 49 

Syphilis  and  gonorrhea 9        52.5 

Total  Number  of  Gases  158 


Only  institution  cases  are  counted  in  which  a  physical  examination 
has  been  given.  All  are  taken  from  the  records  of  Waverly  House  and 
the  Church  Mission  of  Help.  But  all  of  their  cases  were  not  examined. 
That  is,  out  of  158  cases  where  they  deemed  an  examination  desirable 
52.5  per  cent,  were  found  to  be  diseased. 

240 


Institutions  Other  Than  Bedford 

Table  XL 
CASES  IN  INSTITUTIONS,  OTHER  THAN  BEDFORD 

CAUSES.      REASONS  GIVEN   BY  THE   GIRL 

.  In  connection  with  her  family 

1.  Neglect  or  abuse 41 

2.  Immorality  of  parents 25 

3.  Over  strictness 21 

4.  Over  indulgence 3 

5.  Poverty 27 

6.  Incompatibility  (quarrels,  nagging,  etc.) 27 

7.  Father,  mother  or  near  relative  put  girl  in  life  ...  6 

8.  Turned  out  of  the  house 18 168 

'.  In  connection  with  married  life 

1.  Incompatibility 8 

2.  Non-support 24 

3.  Immorality  (including  cruelty  or  criminality)   ...  29 

4.  Desertion 12 

5.  Death 16 

6.  Husband  put  girl  in  the  life 26 115 

'.  Personal  reasons 

1.  "  Ruined  any  way  "      15 

2.  Lover  put  girl  in  the  life 80 

3.  Desertion  by  lover 33 

4.  White  slave  (put  into  life  by  force) 21 

5.  Bad  company 108 

6.  Dances  and  shows 23 

7.  Love  of  excitement  or  a  good  time 58 

8.  Lazy,  won't  work 12 

9.  Love  of  money  (a  business  enterprise) 3 

10.  Idle  or  lonely ." o 

1 1 .  No  sex  instruction 6 

12.  Ashamed  to  go  home  after  first  escapade 23 

13.  Not  satisfied  with  one  man 7 

14.  "Born  bad" — enjoys  the  life 2 

15.  Previous  use  of  drugs  or  drink 11 

16.  Stage  environment 9 

17.  Tired  of  drudgery  (usually  housework) 16 

18.  "Easy  money" 58 

19.  Love  of  clothes 7  492 

241 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

TABLE  XL — Continued 

D.  Economic  reasons 

1.  Can't  support  herself 67 

2.  Can't  support  herself  and  children  or  parents   ...  37 

3.  Can't  live  according  to  her  standards 17 

4.  Out  of  work,  can't  get  work  (often  because  of) .    .    .  60 

5.  Ill  health  or  defect      53 

6.  Not  trained  for  skilled  work  and  above  the  unskilled  2         236 

Total  ioii 


GRAPH   n^LUSTRATING  TABLE  XLI 


242 


Street  Cases 

Table  XLI 
STREET  CASES 

BIRTHPLACE 


American  Born 

New  York  City 234 

Brooklyn 20 

Staten  Island i 

Other  cities  in  New  York  .  36 
New  York  State  (country)     53 

California 8 

Colorado 5 

Connecticut 26 

Delaware 2 

District  of  Columbia. ...  i 

Florida 2 

Georgia 2 

Illinois 14 

Indiana i 

Iowa I 

Kansas 2 

Kentucky 10 

Louisiana 5 

Maryland 8 

Maine 3 

Massachusetts 25 

Michigan 13 

Mississippi I 

Missouri 10 

Nebraska I 

New  Hampshire 2 

New  Jersey 63 

Ohio 35 

Pennsylvania 95 

Rhode  Island 6 

South  Carolina 3 

Tennessee 2 

Texas 4 

Vermont 7 

Virginia 20 

Washington I 

West  Virginia 6 

Wisconsin 3 

Unknown 31 

Total  American  Born,  762 


Foreign  Born 

Austria-Hungary  35 

Belgium  ....  i 

Bohemia     ...  i 

Canada   ....  13 

Denmark    ...  i 

England-Scotland  32 

France     ....  13 

Galacia    ....  12 

Germany    ...  72 

Ireland    ....  29 

Italy 8 

Holland  ....  i 

Poland     ....  4 

Russia 107 

Roumania  ...  7 

Sweden    ....  5 

Switzerland    .    .  3 


Total 

Foreign  born  . 
American  bom 


344  31  04% 
762  68.94% 


Grand  Total,  1106 


243 


Some  special  education 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  XLII 
STREET  CASES 

EDUCATION  No. 

Girls 

Does  not  read  or  write  in  any  language 127 

Reads  and  writes  a  foreign  language      lO 

Reads  and  writes  English,  no  further  education  ....  687 

Reads  and  writes,  how  much  more  not  given 222 

Graduated  from  grammar  grades,  at  least 46 

4  stenographers    .... 

2  translators 7 

I  linguist 

Total  Number  Cases  *io99 
*Note:    7  cards,  no  information. 

Table  XLIII 
STREET  CASES 

PROSTITUTION.      PRACTICED  CONTINUOUSLY  OR  OCCASIONALLY 

No. 
Cases       Percent. 

Continuously 1049  94.84  + 

Working  girls 26 

Married  women 7  33  2.98  + 

Unknown 24  2.17  + 

Total  Number  Cases  1106 


Occasionally 


244 


Street  Cases 


Table  XLIV 
STREET  CASES 


AGE 


First  sexual 

Number  entering 

offense 

prostitution 

2 

I 

2 

2 

II 

3 

71 

6 

85 

26 

167 

114 

189 

176 

147 

223 

94 

123 

61 

no 

38 

72 

29 

44 

15 

22 

15 

30 

15 

21 

15 

23 

8 

II 

5 

10 

3 

2 

3 

I 

X 

I 

I 

Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


o 

H 

D 

H 

H 

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w 

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< 

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X 

U 

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H 

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w      10 

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H-H 

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£$-0 

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Highest     . 

Lowest       

sSBjaAy 

10 

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CS        VO 

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- 

GOOOS^ 

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oooot^ 

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10 

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Highest 

Lowest      

246 


Street  Cases 


Table  XLVI 
STREET  CASES 

OCCUPATIONS 

Before  After 

Entering  Entering 

Prostitution  Prostitution 

Artist 4  4 

Artists'  model 2  3 

Canvasser 5  4 

Chambermaid 9  i 

Clerk  in  small  store .  28  16 

Companion i  i 

Department  store 117  68 

Errand  girl i  .... 

Factory 72  21 

Domestic  service 27  20 

Laundry 2  .... 

Librarian I  .... 

Manicure 6  4 

Massage 2  2 

Millinery 13  2 

Nurse  girl 8  i 

Office  work 25  18 

Palmist 2  2 

Sewing 17  5 

Stenographer 31  27 

Storekeeper i  2 

Teacher 9  6 

Telephone  operator 9  5 

Theatrical  work      72  88 

Trained  nurse 4  3 

Translator I  i 

Waitress 18  8 

No  work 518  

Unknown loi  33 

Supported  by  prostitution  only 677 

Supported  by  husband  or  family 83 

Stealing i 

Total  Number  Cases  1106  1106 


247 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


00 


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248 


Street  Cases 

Table  XLVIII 
STREET  CASES 

CAUSES.      REASONS   GIVEN   BY  THE   GIRL 

A.  In  connection  with  her  family 

1.  Neglect  or  abuse 20 

2.  Immorality  of  parents     36 

3.  Over  strictness 52 

4.  Over  indulgence n 

5.  Poverty 36 

6.  Incompatibility  (quarrels,  nagging,  etc.)      20 

7.  No  mother  or  no  father,  or  neither 12 

8.  Father,  mother  or  near  relative  put  girl  in  the  life  .    .  10 

9.  Turned  out  of  the  house 21     *2i8 

B.  In  connection  with  married  life 

1.  IncompatibiUty 31 

2.  Non-support 34 

3.  Immorality  (including  cruelty  or  criminality)   ...  39 

4.  Desertion 34 

5.  Death      14 

6.  Put  girlin  the  life 61      213 

C.  Personal  reasons 

1 .  Ruined  anyway 32 

2.  Lover  put  girl  in  the  life 144 

3.  Desertion  by  lover 40 

4.  White  slave  (put  in  life  by  force) 6 

5.  Bad  company 61 

6.  Dances  and  shows I 

7.  Love  of  excitement  or  a  good  time 103 

8.  Lazy,  won't  work 49 

9.  Love  of  money  (a  business  enterprise) 50 

10.  Idle  or  lonely 19 

XI.  Ashamed  to  go  home  after  first  escapade 13 

12.  "Born  bad" — enjoys  the  life 116 

13.  Previous  use  of  drugs  or  drink I 

14.  Stage  environment 36 

15.  Tired  of  drudgery  (usually  housework) 42 

16.  "Easy  money"      58 

17.  Love  of  clothes 85      866 

D.  Economic  reasons 

1.  Can't  support  herself 33 

2.  Can't  support  herself  and  children  or  parents     ...  55 

3.  Out  of  work 42 

4.  Ill  health  or  defect 9      139 

Total  1436 

In  many  cases,  more  than  one  reason  was  given,  which  explains  the 
large  total. 

249 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


X 


J 

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250 


Combined  Cases 


Table  L 

composition  of  the  population  of  new  york  city  as  to  birth- 
place compared  with  birthplace  of  2363  prostitutes 


I 

II 

III 

IV 

Population     of    New 
York  City 

igio* 
4,766,883 

2,741,504 

1,927,720 

91,702 

5,957 

Percentage 

of 
population 

Prosti- 
tutes 
2363 
cases 

Percentage 

of 
prostitutes 

Native  White  .... 
Foreign  White      .    .    . 

Negro 

Another 

57-  3% 
40.43 
1.92 
.  12 

1586 
664 
113 

67.1 
28.0 
4. 78 

Of  the  foreign  born 

Percent, 
entire  pop. 

Russia 

Italy 

Germany 

Austria-Hungary  .   . . 

Ireland 

England-Scotland    .    . 
France  

485,600 
340,400 
279,200 
265,500 
252,500 
104,100 
18,200 

10.18 
714 
5-85 
5-57 
529 
2.18 
•38 

197 

21 

122 

no 

58 

57 
25 

25 

8 

5 
4 

2 
2 

I 

33 
88 
12 
65 
45 
41 
05 

Canada      

I 

05 

♦Preliminary  Bulletin  issued  by  U.  S.  Census  Bureau  (Census  of 
1910)  Dec.  29,  19H.  , 


251 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


Table  LI 

COMPARISON  OF  EARNINGS  AT  PREVIOUS  OCCUPATIONS  OF  BEDFORD  CASES 
WITH  THOSE  OF  OTHER  INSTITUTIONS  AND  WITH  THE  STREET  CASES 


Bedford 

Domestic  service  . 

{ 

Average 
High  $4,501 
Low    3.00  / 

with 
board 

52  cases 
52     " 

other  occupations 

{ 

High 
Low 

8.00 
4.00 

no     " 
100    " 

Other 
Institutions 

Domestic  service  . 
Other  occupations 

/ 
\ 

I 

High 
Low 

High 
Low 

5.00  \ 
4-50/ 

6.00 
500 

with 
board 

156  " 
156  " 

377     " 
377     " 

Street 
Cases 

Domestic  service  . 
Other  occupations 

{ 
{ 

High 
Low 

High 
Low 

5-43  I 
4-29/ 

13.92 
9.88 

with 
board 

30     " 
27     " 

420     " 
332     " 

Total  Cases  Considered: 

Domestic  service 238 

Other  occupations 907 — 1 145 


252 


CHAPTER  IX 

PREVENTIVE,    REFORMATIVE,   AND   CORRECTIONAL 
AGENCIES   IN   NEW   YORK    CITY 

The  agencies  working  to  meet  the  need  of  wayward 
and  professional  delinquent  women  and  girls  in  New  York 
City  are  both  private  and  public,  direct  and  indirect. 
Work  in  this  field  can  rarely  be  strictly  characterized  as 
either  preventive,  reformative  or  correctional.  Almost 
all  the  agencies  in  question  do  both  a  preventive  and 
a  reformative  work,  though,  in  the  main,  the  tendency 
toward  preventive  work  is  stronger  than  that  toward 
rescue  work.  The  following  account  is  not  exhaustive, 
but  aims  to  deal  with  the  representative  institutions  in 
each  field. 

(a)       THE   WORK   OF   PREVENTION 

Preventive  agencies  cover  a  very  wide  range,  beginning 
of  course  with  the  home  and  family,  the  school  and  the 
church;  but  important  as  these  and  similar  institutions 
are,  they  are  too  general  to  come  within  the  scope  of 
this  chapter.  There  are,  however,  certain  societies  and 
institutions  which  exert  a  potent  though  indirect  influ- 
ence,—  among  them  the  New  York  Society  for  the  Sup- 
pression of  Vice,  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Crime 
and  the  New  York  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Children.     A  few  institutions  render  more  direct  serv- 

253 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

ice, —  the  Association  for  Befriending  Children  and 
Young  Girls  and  the  Children's  Aid  Society,  for  example. 
These,  with  the  Home  for  the  Friendless,  the  Sheltering 
Arms,  the  girls'  departments  of  the  Catholic  Protectorate, 
the  Juvenile  Asylum,  and  other  organizations  maintain 
homes  for  the  young.  There  are,  moreover,  numerous 
settlements  with  a  hold  on  the  young  through  kinder- 
gartens, clubs,  and  friendly  services,  doing  a  quiet  but 
constantly  effective  preventive  work;  independent  girls' 
clubs,  thirty  special  ones  in  New  York,  providing  oppor- 
tunities for  friendship,  recreation  and  training;  some 
societies,  such  as  the  Girls'  Friendly,  offering  attractions 
to  girls  who  have  few  advantages  in  their  homes.  The 
work  of  the  Committee  on  Amusements  and  Vacation 
Resources  of  Working  Girls  has  been  active  in  the  diffi- 
cult dance  hall  problem,  previously  shown  to  be  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  exploitation  of  prostitution.  The 
Travelers'  Aid  Society,  which  assists  incoming  women 
of  all  classes  at  railway  stations  and  docks,  is  a  valuable 
safeguard.  This  society  definitely  helped  18,562  persons 
in  the  year  igi2.  Of  these,  5,161  were  from  seventeen 
to  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  nearly  all  women. 
Similar  work  for  traveling  colored  girls  is  done  by  a 
department  of  the  National  League  on  Urban  Conditions 
among  Negroes.  The  Big  Sisters  assist  girls  who  have 
already  come  to  the  point  of  grave  danger.  Work- 
ing along  the  lines  already  marked  out  by  the  Big  Broth- 
ers' Movement,  women  of  devoted  abilities  are  taking 
little  girls  who  have  already  yielded  to  temptation  and 
endeavoring  to  win  them  to  useful  lives. 
Homes  for  working  girls  and  women,  though  touch- 

254 


Preventive  Agencies 

ing  this  need  indirectly,  touch  it  strongly.  There  are 
many  of  these  homes,  maintained  by  philanthropic  and 
religious  boards  of  women;  seventeen  hundred  women 
are  accommodated  in  them.  Their  economic  value  has 
long  been  realized;  their  moral  and  social  importance  is 
beginning  to  be  appreciated.  Their  usefulness  as  pre- 
ventive agencies  probably  varies  with  the  degree  of  ex- 
perience, resourcefulness,  and  sympathy  possessed  by 
those  who  are  directly  in  charge. 

Among  the  more  definitely  preventive  agencies  may  be 
mentioned,  first,  societies  of  a  national  scope  which  aim 
to  create  healthy  sentiment  by  emphasizing  the  grave 
dangers  of  the  social  evil.  Such  are  the  American  Fed- 
eration of  Sex  Hygiene  and  the  Society  of  Sanitary  and 
Moral  Prophylaxis,  operating  through  meetings,  lectures 
and  printed  matter ;  the  American  Vigilance  Association, 
which,  originally  organized  to  secure  legislation  and  law 
enforcement  as  respects  the  white  slave  traffic,  has  now 
Extended  its  operations  so  that  it  is  actively  engaged  in  a 
propaganda  that  touches  the  entire  field  of  commercialized 
vice;    it    publishes    a    monthly    periodical.     Vigilance. 

Prominent  among  local  organizations  is  the  Committee 
of  Fourteen,  originally  organized  for  the  suppression  of 
the  Raines  Law  Hotels,  now  occupied  in  combating  all 
manifestations  of  commercialized  sexual  vice  in  New 
York.  It  endeavors  to  secure  more  vigorous  and  effective 
action  by  all  departments  of  state  and  city  government 
having  power  to  suppress  vice ;  and  it  also  strives  to  im- 
prove conditions  in  saloons  and  hotels  through  the  in- 
fluence and  control  over  such  places  exercised  by  brewers 
and  surety  companies. 

255 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Two  societies  doing  important  work  in  other  lines  are 
strongly  interested  in  educational  preventive  work  —  the 
New  York  Probation  Association  and  the  Church  Mis- 
sion of  Help.  Both  make  special  appeal  to  churches, 
to  societies,  and  to  clubs  of  women.  The  Probation 
Association  organizes  among  working  girls  protective 
leagues,  fourteen  of  which  leagues  have  been  started. 
Their  main  purpose  is  to  secure  the  help  of  girls  in 
protecting  other  girls.  They  endeavor  to  raise  the  tone 
of  conversation  in  places  where  girls  assemble  and  work. 
Lectures  on  sex  hygiene  are  given,  wholesome  recreation 
is  encouraged,  and  higher  ideals  of  life  cultivated.  The 
Church  Mission  of  Help  organizes  bands  of  women,  princi- 
pally in  Episcopal  churches,  to  study  the  needs  of  way- 
ward girls  and  to  give  help  as  they  are  able.  Both  of 
these  societies  encourage  parents,  guardians,  and  girls 
in  need  to  come  to  them  for  advice  and  help,  thus  mak- 
ing their  work  more  personal. 

The  foregoing  direct  agencies  mainly  exert  their  pre- 
ventive influence  on  the  public  en  nmsse.  The  more  defi- 
nite and  concrete  examples  of  preventive  work  appear  in 
the  work  of  homes  which  concern  themselves  with  indi- 
viduals in  distress.  They  take  girls,  some  of  them 
very  young  girls,  who  are  subject  to  bad  influences,  who 
are  incorrigible,  or  who  for  various  reasons  find  diffi- 
culty in  their  home  life.  Of  such  homes  there  are  several. 
Those  reaching  the  larger  numbers  are  represented  by 
the  Children's  Department  of  the  House  of  Mercy  and 
the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd.  For  colored  girls 
the  work  on  the  larger  scale  is  done  by  the  Howard  Or- 
phan Asylum,  which  maintains  a  house  at  Kings  Park, 

256 


Preventive  Agencies 

Long  Island.  The  smaller  homes,  of  which  there  are 
at  least  six  in  New  York,  deal  more  personally  with  the 
individual  girl.  Their  capacity  ranges  from  25  to  75. 
Of  this  type  is  the  Free  Home  for  Young  Girls,  managed 
by  an  incorporated  association  of  church  women.  The 
inmates,  mostly  sent  by  guardians  and  friends,  are  from 
eleven  to  seventeen  years  of  age.  A  real  home  life  is 
maintained.  Most  of  the  girls  attend  the  public  schools. 
All  are  taught  sewing,  simple  cooking,  laundry  work, 
and  housework.  They  remain  two  or  three  years  and 
are  sent  out  to  friends  or  to  situations  with  approved 
surroundings.  In  Brooklyn  the  Training  School  and 
Home  for  Young  Girls  cares  for  and  trains  girls  by  a 
method  similar  to  that  of  the  Free  Home.  Two  of  these 
homes  are  partly  preventive  and  partly  reformative  — 
the  House  of  the  Holy  Family  and  the  Washington 
Square  Home.  The  first  named  is  conducted  by  the 
Association  for  Befriending  Young  Girls,  under  the 
immediate  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Divine  Com- 
passion, and  cares  for  75  young  girls,  mostly  Roman 
Catholics.  Instruction  in  ordinary  school  branches  is 
given.  Physical  exercises,  manual  training,  and  domes- 
tic science  are  taught.  Special  attention  is  given  to  the 
matter  of  amusements ;  religious  as  well  as  friendly  care 
is  provided.  Provision  is  made  for  all  girls  leaving 
the  home.  Correspondence  with  Sisters  and  visits  to 
the  home  are  encouraged.  This  home  cared  for  177 
girls  in  1912. 

The  Washington  Square  Home  is  a  non-sectarian  insti- 
tution. It  provides  a  home  for  indefinite  periods  for 
girls  who  have  erred  or  who  are  in  danger  of  so  doing. 

257 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

They  come  voluntarily  to  the  home.  Twenty-seven  can 
be  accommodated  and  the  home  is  usually  full.  Of  the 
64  received  in  19 12,  fifty  were  Protestants,  12  Roman 
Catholics,  and  2  Hebrews.  The  average  age  of  the  girls 
is  18.  Instruction  in  housework,  laundry,  and  plain 
sewing  is  given.  Girls  are  kept  as  long  as  necessary 
to  train  for  self-support. 

All  these  homes  maintain  good  discipline  and  friendly 
relations.  The  girls  usually  go  out  equipped  to  live  and 
with  a  strong  appreciation  of  what  has  been  done  for 
them.  Unfortunately  their  facilities  are  very  limited  in 
consequence  of  the  meager  resources.  Usually  from 
three  to  eight  girls  occupy  a  room  when,  as  a  matter  of 
principle,  each  girl  should  be  given  her  own  cubicle. 
Moreover,  the  capacity  is  far  below  what  is  required.* 
Even  as  it  is,  valuable  preventive  results  have  been  ac- 
complished in  case  of  those  girls  who  have  been  reached. 

(b)       REFORMATIVE  WORK 

Thg  border  line  between  preventive  and  reformative 
work  is  in  theory  definite  and  clear;  in  practice,  as  il- 
lustrated by  institutions,  it  is  rather  hazy.  These  insti- 
tutions and  homes  endeavor  to  help  women  who  have 
actually  yielded  to  temptation  or  to  force  of  circum- 
stances. 

They  are  susceptible  of  division  alotig  several  lines. 
Some  are  small,  under  religious  or  private  control,  and 
for  the  most  part  reach  the  less  demoralized  class.  There 
are  also  larger  establishments,  which  receive  both  girls 
committed  by  the  court  and  girls  who  enter  voluntarily. 

1  See  page  271. 

258 


Preventive  Agencies 

Among  the  former  may  be  mentioned  the  Margaret 
Strachan  Home,  the  Midnight  Mission  and  St.  Michael's 
Home,  and  the  New  Shelter  for  Young  Women,  quite  re- 
cently opened. 

The  Margaret  Strachan  Home  cares  for  24  girls 
temporarily.  They  come  voluntarily,  through  doctors 
and  mission  friends,  remain  from  one  to  six  months, 
receive  certain  training  under  religious  influences,  and 
are  sent  out  to  maternity  hospitals  or  to  friends.  There 
were  80  girls  in  the  home  in  191 1,  most  of  them  under 
twenty  years  of  age.  For  twenty-nine  years  this  home 
has  been  conducted  under  the  management  of  an  associa- 
tion of  religious  women.  The  Wayside  Home  in  Brook- 
lyn provides  a  home  for  friendless  girls  and  serves  as 
a  reformatory  for  Protestant  young  girls  in  Kings  County. 
It  emphasizes  home  care  and  practical  training. 

The  St.  Michael's  Home  is  at  Mamaroneck.  It  is 
operated  under  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  by  the 
Sisters  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.  It  cares  for  60  girls  at 
a  time,  most  of  them  for  the  space  of  two  years.  In- 
struction in  school  branches  and  in  housework  and  home 
making  is  given.  Girls  come  through  parents  and  guard- 
ians, a  few  by  commitment.  Many  of  them  are  dis- 
covered by  the  missionary  visitor.  They  go  out  to  proper 
places  equipped  for  usefulness. 

Of  the  larger  institutions  there  are  four, —  the  House 
of  the  Good  Shepherd,  the  House  of  Mercy,  the  New 
York  Magdalen  Benevolent  Society  and  the  Ozanam 
Home  for  Friendless  Women.  All  of  these  receive  way- 
ward women  of  all  kinds,  and  the  House  of  the  Good 
Shepherd  and  the  House  of  Mercy  receive  little  girls  from 

259 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

dangerous  surroundings.  While  they  do  not  seek  for 
committed  cases,  such  are  accepted.  The  Magdalen  So- 
ciety is  the  oldest  home  of  this  kind,  having  been  founded 
in  1833. 

The  Ozanam  Home  in  Brooklyn  under  the  leadership 
of  Roman  Catholic  women  offers  shelter  and  help  to  those 
who  wish  to  reform.  The  work  is  of  a  temporary  na- 
ture in  that  inmates  do  not  as  a  rule  remain  in  the  home 
over  three  weeks.  In  the  year  19 12,  six  hundred  and 
sixty-seven  were  cared  for  at  public  charges  and  198  at 
private  charges. 

The  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd  can  care  for  500 
women  and  girls,  making  it  the  largest  institution  of  the 
kind.  No  account  is  taken  of  race,  color,  or  creed,  al- 
though probably  the  majority  of  its  wards  are  Catholic. 
The  girls  are  divided  into  classes  according  to  their  condi- 
tion and  purpose  of  entering  the  institution.  Some  look 
forward  to  giving  their  lives  to  religious  service; 
others  are  to  be  trained  for  useful  work  and  to  be 
discharged  when  it  is  best.  Volunteers  leave  at  any 
time.  The  training  covers  usual  school  work,  laundry, 
cooking,  embroidery  and  lace  making.  Physicial  and 
recreational  needs  are  cared  for. 

The  House  of  Mercy  does  a  similar  work  under  the 
guidance  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  The  ca- 
pacity of  this  house  is  no.  At  the  close  of  1910  there 
were  107  inmates.  These  come,  some  of  free  will,  others 
by  commitment.  The  department  for  women  is  entirely 
separate  from  that  for  young  girls,  which,  conducted  as 
the  work  of  St.  Agnes  Guild,  is  referred  to  above.  The 
women  are  given  practical  training  in  domestic  service 

260 


Preventive  Agencies 

and  do  the  work  of  the  large  laundry  which  is  a  source 
of  income.  Attention  is  given  to  recreation,  religious 
training  and  to  the  life  after  leaving  the  institution. 

The  Magdalen  Benevolent  Society  Home  cares  for 
about  I  GO  women,  the  larger  part  of  whom  are  committed 
by  magistrates.  Erring  women  under  30  years  of  age 
also  come  voluntarily  into  the  home  for  six  months  or 
more.  Suitable  school  and  practical  training  is  given, 
physical  and  recreational  wants  are  met,  moral  influ- 
ences are  exerted,  and  women  go  out  to  situations  ap- 
proved by  the  management.  Unmarried  mothers  with 
babies  are  received  and  trained.  This  home  is  non- 
sectarian  in  its  management  and  in  its  work. 

All  institutions  dealing  with  erring  women  have  to 
receive  in  larger  or  smaller  numbers  unmarried  girls  ex- 
pecting to  become  mothers.  There  are,  however,  certain 
homes  specially  devoted  to  this  class  of  women. 
The  Heartsease  Work  for  Friendless  Women  in  this  city, 
the  St.  Faith's  Home  at  Tarrytown,  and  Lakeview  House 
at  Arrochar,  Staten  Island,  are  perhaps  the  best  examples. 
To  these  the  girls  come  voluntarily  or  are  directed  by  rela- 
tives, friends  and  charitable  workers.  St.  Faith's  Home, 
though  smallest  in  capacity  and  in  total  numbers  cared 
for  during  the  year,  is  representative  in  respect  to  the 
policy  pursued.  From  15  to  17  can  be  accommo- 
dated, and  39  girls  were  cared  for  in  19 12,  twenty- four  of 
whom  were  received  during  that  year.  Mothers  with 
their  children  are  kept  for  two  years  in  most  cases.  They 
are  taught  all  kinds  of  home  work  and  especially  nursery 
w^ork.  Instruction  in  the  fundamental  branches  of 
school  work  is  given  as  well  as  lessons  in  hygiene,  in  dress, 

261 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

and  in  the  expenditure  of  and  accounting  for  money. 
Safe  places  are  provided  for  all  leaving  the  home.  The 
home  is  managed  by  a  board  of  women  and  an  advisory 
board  of  men.  It  is  largely  supported  by  Episcopalians 
and  the  work  is  done  by  members  of  that  church. 

Lakeview  Home,  operated  under  the  direction  of  the 
Council  of  Jewish  Women,  does  a  similar  work  for 
Hebrew  girls.  It  emphasizes  industrial  training  and 
personal  work.  It  cares  for  25  women  and  girls  and  24 
infants  at  a  time.  The  total  number  cared  for  in  1912 
was  60  girls  and  45  infants. 

The  Heartsease  Work  is  undenominational,  though 
definitely  religious.  In  addition  to  the  care  of  women 
with  babies,  it  provides  a  temporary  home  for  erring 
women  and  endeavors  to  fit  women  for  work.  It  cared 
for  204  cases  in  the  year  191 1- 12.  Forty  were  mothers 
with  infants,  61  were  girls  becoming  mothers,  14  girls 
were  convalescing,  and  20  girls  were  seeking  employment. 
There  were  9  infants  without  mothers.  The  home  pro- 
vides classes  for  instruction,  social  entertainments,  and 
religious  services. 

Definite  work  to  reform  this  class  of  women  done  by 
three  religious  organizations  may  be  mentioned  here, — * 
that  of  the  Chinatown  Settlement,  the  Rescue  Mission 
in  Doyers  Street,  and  of  the  Salvation  Army.  These  or- 
ganizations are  in  a  position  to  touch  those  more  deeply 
involved  in  vice ;  but  the  majority  of  the  girls  they  reacK 
are  not  prostitutes. 

The  Chinatown  Settlement  offers  a  Home  and  friendly 
relations  to  girls  drawn  into  Chinatown.  It  affords  en- 
tertainments, religious  teaching,  and  practical  training. 

262 


Preventive  Agencies 

It  brings  to  the  home  an  average  of  75  different  girls  per 
month.  Two  thousand  calls  on  girls  were  made  in  1912. 
It  has  a  small  country  place  for  summer  use. 

The  Rescue  Society  reaches  girls  through  mission  serv- 
ices, clubs,  and  classes.  Two  thousand,  seven  hundred  and 
forty-eight  women  were  touched  by  the  services  in  191 1. 

The  Salvation  Army  maintains  rescue  and  industrial 
homes  in  Manhattan  and  Brooklyn,  as  it  does  in  all  the 
chief  cities  of  the  land.  The  home  in  Manhattan  cares 
for  50  women  and  is  always  full.  Some  midnight  rescue 
work  is  done ;  but  the  girls  actually  taken  from  the  streets 
are  few.  This  work,  which  formerly  depended  largely 
upon  religious  results  in  meetings,  now  accomplishes 
more  by  personal  influence  of  workers.  The  girls  are 
of  all  nationalities,  their  average  age,  25.  So  far  as 
possible,  the  different  classes  are  separated  in  the  home. 
Of  115  inmates  in  one  year  60  were  betrayal  cases, 
19  were  cases  of  prostitution,  and  27  girls  were  un- 
der serious  temptation.  Capable  girls  are  trained  and 
sent  out  to  service.  The  leaders  state  that  perhaps  80 
percent  are  reformed.  The  Army  also  maintains  a  home 
at  Tappan  on  the  Hudson  for  young  girls  about  to  be- 
come mothers.  This  work  was  formerly  the  Door  of 
Hope  and  is  still  in  charge  of  Mrs.  Whittemore.  The 
Army  also  does  a  preventive  work  for  young  girls  on  its 
farm  in  Spring  Valley. 

The  two  homes  that  probably  touch  the  problem  of  the 
prostitute  and  commercialized  traffic  in  women  more 
closely  than  any  others  are  Waverly  House  and  the 
Florence  Crittenton  Home.  The  leaders  in  these  homes 
are  in  close  relation  to  the  magistrate's  courts  and  both 

263 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

take  care  of  witnesses  in  white  slave  cases  pending  in  the 
Federal  Court. 

Waverly  House  is  under  the  management  of  the  New 
York  Probation  Association.  It  accommodates  i8  girls, 
who  come  through  the  courts,  as  above  mentioned,  and 
through  philanthropic  and  religious  organizations.  Two 
hundred  and  nine  were  cared  for  in  the  house  in  19 12. 
They  remained  from  one  day  to  three  months,  for 
Waverly  House  is  a  temporary  home  and  not  a  reforma- 
tory. Most  of  the  girls  are  young,  the  largest  group 
between  sixteen  and  eighteen.  With  the  exception  of 
the  court  witnesses,  girls  are  placed  in  such  permanent 
institutions  or  positions  as  will  meet  their  needs. 
Personal  attention  and  careful  study  are  most  prom- 
inent in  this  house.  Qasses  in  the  useful  arts,  English, 
and  music  are  provided.  One  night  each  week  is 
"  play  night,"  and  entertainments  of  all  kinds  are 
provided.  The  higher  spiritual  truths  are  brought  to 
the  girls  through  a  Sunshine  Circle.  Through  the 
Employment  Bureau  the  girls  of  the  house,  as  well  as 
many  who  have  been  arrested,  those  in  moral  danger, 
and  many  difficult  and  incorrigible  girls,  find  situations. 

The  Florence  Crittenton  Mission  in  this  city  is  one  of 
many  homes  of  the  same  name  situated  in  the  larger  cities 
of  this  country.  It  formerly  engaged  in  a  rescue  mission 
work  for  both  men  and  women.  Its  work  is  now  limited 
to  the  care  of  erring  women.  The  home  contains  16 
rooms,  each  occupied  by  two  or  more  persons.  The  girls 
are  probationers,  girls  released  on  suspended  sentences, 
witnesses  in  white  slave  cases,  and  women  discharged  by 
the  courts;  a  few  come  from  cafes  and  from  the  streets. 

264 


Preventive  Agencies 

During  an  entire  year,  501  girls  passed  through  the  home, 
some  staying  but  a  few  hours,  others  remaining  for  the 
year.  They  range  in  age  from  fourteen  to  twenty-five 
years.  A  night  school  is  maintained,  as  well  as  classes  in 
physical  culture  and  the  useful  arts.  A  Helping  Hand 
Class  makes  scrap  books  and  small  articles  for  sick  chil- 
dren. The  pleasure  side  of  life  is  met  by  entertainments, 
and  religious  services  are  regularly  held.  The  disposition 
of  the  501  girls  above  mentioned  was  as  follows: 

Situations     183 

Sent  home   185 

Deported   17 

In  care  of  organizations 58 

Committed  to  institutions  19 

Left  against  wishes  17 

In  Home  22 

SOI 

The  work  is  financed  and  managed  by  the  National 
Florence  Crittenton  Mission. 

Though  not  placed  strictly  under  the  reformative  head- 
ing, certain  fundamental  phases  of  the  work  of  the  Proba- 
tion Association  and  the  Church  Mission  of  Help  may 
here  be  presented.  As  stated  above,  the  sphere  of  these 
societies  is  largely  that  of  clearing  houses.  They  study 
carefully  the  girls  who  come  to  them  and  make  of  them 
the  disposition  best  suited  to  their  needs.  The  time  of 
study  allows  opportunities  for  personal  helpfulness  and 
it  is  well  improved. 

The  Church  Mission  of  Help  began  its  work  by  a  pro- 
longed study  of  229  cases  of  wayward  girls  who  were 
more  or  less  connected  with  the  Episcopal  Church. 
Parental  and  good  home  conditions  were  sadly  lacking 
in  most  cases.    On  the  basis  of  this  study  the  society 

265 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

began  its  work  of  information  to  the  church  and  of  help- 
fulness to  the  girls.  During  the  year  19 12  it  was  in 
touch  with  352  girls,  of  whom  148  were  under  its  direct 
care,  58  were  cared  for  on  leaving  institutions,  and  103 
were  in  institutions.  Two  hundred  and  six  of  these  girls 
were  connected  with  the  Episcopal  Church.  Twelve  other 
religious  bodies  were  represented,  while  a  small  number  of 
the  girls  had  no  religious  affiliations.  All  cases  are  re- 
ferred, where  possible,  to  the  churches  with  which  they  are 
or  were  connected.  The  work  of  this  society  is  largely 
personal.  Besides  locating  girls  in  homes  and  institutions, 
employment  is  found  for  those  fitted  for  it.  Some  court 
work  is  done.  In  addition  to  paid  workers,  an  increasing 
number  of  trained  volunteers  are  being  used.  Besides  the 
care  of  the  church  girl  and  the  work  of  education  and 
prevention  done  by  this  society,  its  service  of  visitation 
in  institutions  is  most  valuable.  The  visits  of  sympa- 
thetic women  to  girls  in  institutions  pave  the  way  for 
a  useful  service  in  their  social  reinstatement  later. 

The  wider  work  of  the  New  York  Probation  Asso- 
ciation, which  deserves  mention  here,  is  in  the  form  of 
a  careful  study  of  all  the  cases  with  which  it  has  to  do. 
A  thorough  physical  examination  is  given  each  girl  by 
a  physician.  A  mental  examination  follows  and  cases 
are  placed  under  the  direct  supervision  of  a  skilled 
neurologist  and  psychologist.  Careful  records  of  all  facts 
are  kept.  The  discovery  of  physical  and  mental  weak- 
ness, often  after  prolonged  study,  leads  to  a  definite  course 
of  action.  Such  scientific  results  are  not  only  valuable 
in  the  practical  treatment  of  the  individual  girl,  but  fur- 
nish a  basis  on  which  the  courts  act,  and  are  of  wide  use- 

266 


Preventive  Agencies 

fulness  to  the  student  of  the  conditions  which  lead  to 
moral  delinquency. 

(c)       CORRECTIONAL   WORK 

There  are  three  main  correctional  agencies  in  New  York 
City:  the  New  York  State  Training  School  for  Girls 
at  Hudson,  the  State  Reformatory  for  Women  at  Bed- 
ford and  the  Workhouse.  A  real  work  of  correction  is 
also  accomplished  in  the  case  of  those  committed  to  the 
House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  the  House  of  Mercy,  and 
the  Magdalen  Benevolent  Society  Home.  The  State 
Farm  for  Women,  to  be  situated  at  Valatie,  is  not  yet  es- 
tablished, and  the  House  of  Detention,  in  connection  with 
the  Night  Court  for  women,  which  would  serve  as  an 
intermediary  to  correctional  agencies,  is  not  yet  available. 

The  New  York  State  Reformatory  for  Women  at 
Bedford  Hills,  New  York,  was  opened  for  commitment 
in  May,  1901.  It  is  supported  entirely  by  state  appro- 
priations. It  receives  women  between  the  ages  of  six- 
teen and  thirty  years  from  the  First,  Second,  Third  and 
Ninth  Judicial  District,  i.  e.,  Greater  New  York,  Long 
Island  and  the  tier  of  counties  on  each  side  of  the  Hudson 
River  as  far  north  as  Albany.  Over  80  percent  of  its 
inmates  come  from  Greater  New  York.  A  woman  of 
suitable  age  may  be  committed  by  any  judge  or  magis- 
trate for  any  offense  over  which  he  has  jurisdiction, 
except  murder  in  the  first  and  second  degrees,  provided, 
however,  that  the  woman  has  not  previously  been  con- 
victed of  a  felony. 

The  institution  is  situated  in  the  heart  of  Westchester 
County  —  39  miles  north  of  New  York  City.     Here  the 

267 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

State  owns  192  acres  of  land  and  leases  an  additional  57 
acres.  It  has  at  the  present  time  a  capacity  for  340  in- 
mates, with  a  population  of  505 ;  the  expenditure  for 
maintenance  last  year  was  $4.06  per  week  per  capita.  It 
is  built  on  the  cottage  plan.  This  permits  of  classifica- 
tion, whereby  the  younger  girls  are  separated  from  the 
older  women  and  the  less  innocent  from  the  more 
hardened  offenders. 

The  idea  of  the  institution  is  that  of  a  good  industrial 
school.  There  are  book  schools  in  which  the  inmates 
receive  instruction  in  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  nature 
study,  etc.  Physiology  and  sex  hygiene  are  taught  by 
the  resident  physician.  All  the  work  of  the  farm,  in- 
cluding the  care  of  the  cattle,  pigs  and  other  live  stock, 
is  performed  by  the  inmates,  with  the  exception  of  the 
plowing.  Much  out-door  work  of  a  constructive  char- 
acter is  carried  on,  both  for  its  physical  effects  and  for 
mental  and  moral  results.  In  this  constructive  work  is 
included  a  milk  house,  silo,  stairways  and  sidewalks  made 
of  concrete.  Industrial  training  in  laundry  work,  various 
branches  of  needle  work,  cooking  and  other  branches  of 
domestic  science  is  given.  The  inmates  have  musical  and 
dramatic  clubs.  Their  religious  needs  are  met  by  services 
conducted  by  clergymen  of  their  respective  denomina- 
tions. 

The  Board  of  Managers  constitute  a  Board  of  Parole 
and  while  the  inmates  are  all  committed  for  a  maximum 
of  three  years,  they  may  be  paroled  at  any  time,  if  in  the 
judgment  of  the  Board  of  Managers,  such  action  is  con- 
sidered to  be  for  their  best  interest.  Parole  officers  find 
suitable  homes  and  suitable  work  for  the  paroled  women 

268 


Preventive  Agencies 

and  follow  them  up  carefully  until  the  expiration  of  the 
parole  period. 

The  New  York  State  Training  School  receives  girls 
under  sixteen  years  of  age  from  the  entire  state.  Those 
from  New  York  City  come  through  the  Children's  Court. 
The  equipment  of  the  school  is  very  good,  the  chief  need 
being  for  more  room.  The  cottage  system  used  accom- 
modates 385  girls,  in  separate  sleeping  rooms.  It  is, 
however,  necessary  to  use  other  buildings  and  parts  of 
buildings  for  housing  purposes.  The  households  are 
practically  independent  of  each  other,  thereby  offering, 
as  far  as  is  possible,  the  conditions  and  spirit  of  a  real 
home. 

The  methods  of  work  and  the  life  in  the  school  are 
most  commendable.  A  personal  and  individual  interest 
in  each  girl  is  manifest  from  the  time  of  commitment 
through  the  school  life  and  for  years  after  the  'school 
is  left.  By  careful  study  each  one  is  placed  in  the  cottage 
and  environment  where  she  will  receive  the  most  help  and 
the  best  training.  Changes  to  insure  development  are 
made,  as  necessary.  A  girl's  grading  depends  on  her 
conduct  and  proficiency.  Discipline  is  varied,  with  the 
principle  always  in  mind  that  the  individual  and  not 
the  offense  is  to  be  treated.  Humiliation  and  loss  of 
self-respect  are  avoided,  if  possible.  The  living  condi- 
tions and  training  seem  excellent.  The  girls  do  the 
cottage  work,  changes  being  so  arranged  as  to  give  all 
a  thorough  experience  in  housework.  School  sessions 
of  fifteen  hours  weekly  in  the  morning  and  eight  weekly 
in  the  afternoon  prevail.  The  morning  session  is  the  book 
school,  the  afternoon  the  industrial  school.     Cooking, 

269 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

plain  sewing,  dressmaking,  physical  culture,  gardening, 
and  vocal  music  are  carefully  taught.  Religious  instruc- 
tion is  given  by  representatives  of  various  churches  under 
direction  of  the  state.  Amusements  are  afforded  at 
proper  times,  are  well  arranged  and  heartily  indulged  in. 
That  there  is  a  spirit  of  pride  and  enthusiasm  in  work 
and  a  feeling  of  happiness  in  the  life  is  quite  believable 
when  one  realizes  that  so  many  old  girls  wish  to  visit 
the  school  that  they  cannot  be  accommodated.  The 
records  show  that  the  delinquent  girl  of  normal  mind 
can  be  and  is  cured.  Girls  of  sub-normal  mind  are  still 
to  some  extent  cared  for  in  this  school;  but  they  should 
be  in  a  special  institution. 

The  Workhouse  receives  about  75  percent  of  all 
women  prisoners  convicted  of  offenses  related  to  prostitu- 
tion in  the  magistrates'  courts  in  this  city.  In  the  year 
1912,  three  thousand,  five  hundred  and  thirteen  women 
charged  with  soliciting  and  loitering  were  committed  to 
the  Workhouse  for  periods  up  to  six  months.  About  50 
percent  of  these,  as  shown  by  the  fingerprint  process,  are 
repeaters,  each  of  whom  had  been  arrested  from  two  to 
eight  times.  The  life  in  the  Wprkhouse  is  generally  con- 
ceded to  be  not  only  useless  but  actually  harmful. 
The  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  city  has  stated  in  print 
the  following :  "  The  present  Workhouse,  through  no 
fault  of  the  Commissioner  or  its  officers,  is  a  poor 
place  for  these  women.  The  building  does  not  meet 
the  requirements  for  these  cases.  A  new  institution 
should  be  provided;  not  a  lounging,  unsanitary  place, 
but  a  real  workhouse,  looking  to  reformation  as  well  as 
punishment." 

270 


Preventive  Agencies 

The  reformatories  in  19 12  received  through  the  courts 
286  women.  To  Bedford  were  committed,  108;  to  the 
House  of  Mercy,  4;  to  the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd, 
100;  to  the  Magdalen  Home,  74.  Most,  though  not  all 
these  cases,  were  strictly  related  to  prostitution.  Through 
the  Children's  Court  of  the  city,  of  the  120  cases  charged 
with  tendency  to  moral  depravity  and  convicted  in  the 
year  19 12,  sixty-two  were  committed  to  institutions  and 
58  were  placed  on  probation.  Girls  under  sixteen  com- 
mitted to  the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd  numbered  64^ 
to  the  House  of  Mercy,  57,  and  to  the  Training  School  at 
Hudson,  32 ;  but  not  all  of  these  cases  involved  immor- 
ality. 

The  following  table  summarizes  the  institutions  for 
friendless  and  wayward  girls,  in  so  far  as  they  are  de- 
scribed in  the  text;  though  numerous,  their  capacity  and 
resources  are  obviously  quite  inadequate  to  the  need: 


271 


Preventive  Agencies 


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Appendices 


Appendix 


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275 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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276 


Appendix 


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Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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278 


Appendix 


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279 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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280 


Appendix 


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Jan.   24th  to  Feb.  24th  . 
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Apr.  24th  to  May  24th  . 
May  24th  to  June  24th  . 
June  24th  to  July  24th  . 
July  24th  to  Sept.    I  St.    . 
Sept.    I  St  to  Oct.      I  St  . 
Oct.      1st  to  Nov.     I  St  . 
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281 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 


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282 


APPENDIX  VIII 

POLICE  RULES  REGARDING  DISORDERLY   PLACES 

Captains  of  Police  Precincts.  It  is  the  duty  of  a  police 
captain  to  report  to  the  police  commissioners  on  the  fifth 
of  each  month: 

1.  Steps  taken  to  enforce  provisions  of  the  Penal  Law 
with  reference  to  disorderly  houses  within  his  precinct. 

2.  Steps  taken  to  enforce  the  Penal  Law  and  Greater 
New  York  Charter  regarding  concert  saloons,  dives  and 
other  places  where  disorderly,  degraded  or  lawless  people 
congregate. 

3.  Steps  taken  to  enforce  the  Liquor  Tax  Laws  and 
ordinances  relating  to  various  crimes  above  mentioned. 

No.  '55  Under  Rule  42. — When  any  room  or  building 
in  any  part  or  portion  within  the  precinct  is  known  to 
the  captain  to  be  kept,  used,  or  occupied  for  purposes  of 
prostitution,  assignation,  or  other  immoral  purpose,  he 
must  give  notice  in  writing  to  the  owner,  lessee  or  occu- 
pant, that  such  room  or  building  is  so  used,  and  that  it 
is  a  misdemeanor.^ 

No.  56  Under  Rule  42. — If  the  occupation  and  use  of 
such  premises  shall  continue  the  captain  will  obtain  war- 
rants for  and  cause  the  arrest  of  such  owner,  lessee  or 

1  See  Rules  and  Regulations  of  the  Police  Department,  1908,  page 
IIS- 

283 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

occupant  for  a  misdemeanor  and  cause  them  to  be  prose- 
cuted as  required  by  law.- 

No.  ICO  Under  Rule  42. — Captains  will  make  charges 
of  neglect  of  duty  against  any  patrolman  under  their 
command  who  fails  to  discover  a  serious  breach  of  the 
peace  occurring  on  his  post,  during  his  tour  of  duty; 
or  who  shall  fail  to  arrest  any  party  guilty  of  such  of- 
fense.^ 

No.  13  Under  Rule  45. — If  a  policeman  is  on  duty  on  a 
post  where  houses  of  ill- fame  are  suspected  to  exist,  he 
should  be  careful  to  restrain  acts  of  disorder,  prevent 
soliciting  from  windows,  doors  or  on  streets,  and  arrest 
all  persons  found  so  doing,  also  carefully  observe  all 
other  places  of  a  suspicious  nature,  obtain  evidence  as  to 
the  character  and  ownership  of  such  houses,  by  whom 
frequented  and  report  results  of  his  observation  to  his 
commanding  officer.* 

2  Ibid.,  page  115.  »IbiA,  page  120.  *  Ibid.,  page  130. 


284 


APPENDIX  IX 

PARLOR    houses:   ADDITIONAL   DATA 

X  25.     Sixth  Avenue  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

March  5,  12.40  A.  M.  The  investigator  visited  this 
place  at  the  soHcitation  of  X  26,  a  Hghthouse  stationed 
at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and  29th  Street.  He 
counted  14  inmates  and  bought  a  pint  bottle  of  beer  for 
25  cents  from  the  madame.  The  names  of  some  of  the 
inmates  are  Mignon,  Helen,  Violet  and  Georgette. 

March  6,  1912,  11  p.m.  This  house  is  reported  as 
running  about  a  year.  Names  of  some  of  inmates :  Alice, 
Louise  and  Mabel. 

May  25,  19 1 2.  Rosie,  X  2'/,  was  an  inmate  here 
on  this  date. 

July  21,  19 1 2.  Flora,  X  28,  and  Violet,  X  29,  were 
inmates  here  on  this  date. 

August  25,  1912,  The  proprietors  are  X  30,  and 
X  31.     The  madame  is  X  32. 


X  7.     James  Slip. 

At  2  p.  M.  on  April  10,  19 12,  there  were  seven  inmates 

in  the  receiving  parlor.     One  of  these  girls  said  there 

were  three  more,  making  ten  in  all.     All  were  dressed 

in  the  regular  parlor  house  costume  and  all  claimed  to 

285 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

possess  medical  certificates.  Tony,  X  8,  is  said  to  be 
connected  with  this  house,  and  reaps  the  profits  from  the 
business.  The  girls  receive  one-half  of  what  they  make, 
i.  e.,  twenty-five  cents  from  every  visitor.  The  sanitary 
conditions  are  very  bad. 


!X"  33.    Sixth  Avenii-e  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

February  5,  19 12.  X  34,  the  proprietor  of  this  place, 
is  a  power  in  the  Tenderloin.  One  of  his  women,  whose 
name  is  Rosie,  is  madame  at  this  address. 

February  6,  1912'.  The  investigator  counted  8  in- 
mates. Some  of  the  inmates'  names  are  Daisy,  Rose 
and  Bertha.     The  house  is  open  night  and  day. 

February  19,  19 12.  1.30  a.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  14  inmates.  The  madame  was  stationed  in  the 
hall  with  her  ticket  puncher. 

February  24,  19 12.  An  inmate  in  this  house  told  the 
investigator  that  Dr.  X  35  is  the  physician  employed  by 
the  house. 

April  4,  1912.     X  36  was  an  inmate  on  this  date. 

July  9,  191 2.     X  37  was  an  inmate  on  this  date. 

July  15,  19 1 2.  X  38  and  X  39  were  inmates  on  this 
date. 


X  41.     West  24th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 
February  2,   1912.     9.30  p.  m.  to   10,45  P-  ^-     The 
investigator  counted  nine  men  entering. 

February    19,     19 12.     9.30    p.  m.     The    investigator 
counted  14  inmates.     The  Madame  is  X  42.     The  names 

286 


Appendices 

of  some  of  the  inmates  on  this  date  are  Pearl,  Marie, 
Clara  and  Sadie. 

March  24,  1912.     The  physician  for  this  place  is  X  43. 

May  24,  19 1 2.     The  proprietor  of  the  resort  is  X  44. 

May  25,  1912.  X  45,  an  inmate  here  on  this  date 
claims  that  this  is  a  good  "  money  house." 


(X  46.)     West  25th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

February  i,  1912.  9  to  9.30  p.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  9  inmates, 

February  24,  1912.  2  A.  m.  The  investigator  counted 
12  inmates  and  estimated  16.  The  proprietors  are  X  47 
and  X  48. 

March  i,  1912.  9.30  p.  m.  The  investigator  counted 
14  inmates.     X  49  is  said  to  be  a  proprietor. 

March  19,  19 12.  8.45  p.  m.  The  investigator  counted 
14  inmates. 

March  29,  19 12.  The  investigator  was  present  when 
a  young  thief,  X  50,  sold  the  madame,  X  51,  a  dress  he 
claimed  to  have  stolen  from  a  department  store.  X  35 
is  the  house  doctor  here.     The  house  is  conducted  by  X  52. 

X  51,  the  madame  of  this  place,  is  the  wife  of  X  47, 
the  proprietor.  X  43  is  the  physician.  The  investigator 
estimated  the  number  of  inmates  as  19.  Gussie  often 
acts  as  madame. 

April  16,  1912.  X  53,  the  girl  of  X  54  is  the  assistant 
madame  and  housekeeper  here. 


X  59.     West  25th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 
February  i,  1912.     10.30-11.30  p.  m.     The  investiga- 
tor counted  11  inmates.     The  house  is  kept  by  X  17  in 

287 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

partnership  with  X  34.  The  names  of  some  of  the  in- 
mates on  this  date  are  Ruth,  Elsie,  and  Margarita. 

February  6,  19 12.  X  17,  keeper  of  this  place,  has 
two  other  houses. 

February  25,  19 12.  9.15  p.  m.  The  investigators 
counted  20  inmates.  Eight  pimps  were  present.  The 
names  of  two  of  the  girls  on  this  date  were  Edith  and 
May. 

March  19,  1912.  The  investigator  counted  14  in- 
mates. 

March  23,  19 12.  i  a.  m.  The  investigator  counted 
21  inmates  and  estimated  24.  X  17  is  the  madame, 
also  proprietor  together  with  X  34.  The  house  physician 
on  this  date  is  X  43.  X  60  is  a  man  said  to  be  connected 
with  this  place.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates  on 
this  date  are  Cora,  Ruth,  Violet,  Lottie,  Sophie,  Blanche, 
and  Mamie. 

April  24,  19 1 2.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates 
on  this  date  are  X  61,  X  62,  and  X  63. 

May  24,  19 1 2.  X  2,  who  is  an  inmate  of  this  house 
and  has  a  country-wide  reputation,  does  an  exceedingly 
large  business. 

June  18,  1912.  X  17,  the  madame,  is  in  partnership 
with  X  34. 

July  12,  19 1 2.  The  names  of  two  inmates  on  this  date 
are  X  64  and  X  65. 

July  16,  19 1 2.  The  investigator  counted  12  inmates 
and  estimated  16. 


X  67.     West  25th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 
February  i,  1912.     9.30-10.30  p.  m.     The  investigator 

288 


Appendices 

counted   6    inmates   and    estimated   8.    Annie   acts    as 
madame. 

February  8,  191 2'.  The  proprietors  of  this  place  are 
X  68  and  X  69. 

February  19,  19 12.  12.05  A.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  12  inmates.  Liquor  is  sold  in  this  house  on  the 
quiet.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates  on  this  date 
are  Marie,  Laura,  Mary,  and  Nellie. 

February  23,  1912.  12.20  a.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  10  inmates.  X  49  is  said  to  own  a  part  interest 
in  this  place.     Liquor  not  sold  on  this  date. 

March  2,  1912.  12.15  a.m.  The  investigator 
counted  10  inmates  and  estimated  17.  Cigarettes  sold 
but  no  liquors.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates  on 
this  date  are  X  70,  Rosie,  Grace  and  Mabel. 

March  19,  1912.  8.15  p.m.  The  investigator 
counted  19  inmates.  Bessie  acted  as  madame.  X  69  and 
X  J2  are  reported  as  the  proprietors  of  this  place. 

June  10,  1912.  11.20  p.  M.  The  investigator 
counted  12  inmates  and  estimated  15.  The  proprietors 
are  X  72  and  X  73.  Names  of  inmates  on  this  date  are 
Anna,  Grace  and  Rose. 

June  13,  1912.  The  investigators  counted  13  inmates 
and  estimated  15.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates 
on  this  date  are  Marcelle,  Grace,  Dollie  and  Fannie.  The 
place  was  formerly  owned  by  X  y2,  X  69  and  another. 
X  72  forced  X  69  out  and  is  now  the  chief  owner.  The 
share  of  X  69  was  sold  to  X  73. 

June  19,  19 1 2.  Inmate  Nellie  says  she  turns  her 
earnings  over  to  her  pimp,  X  74. 

289 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

July  II,  1912.     The  names  of  three  inmates  on  this 
date  are  X  75,  X  76  and  X  yy. 


X  78.     West  2yth  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

February  8,  19 12.  The  proprietors  of  this  place  are 
X  68,  X  69  and  X  72. 

February  25,  19 12.  8.30  P.  M.  The  investigator 
counted  12  inmates. 

March  4,  1912.  12.15  a.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  16  inmates.  The  investigator  was  solicited  to 
go  here  by  a  lighthouse,  X  79.  The  proprietors  are  X  68 
and  X  69.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates  on  this 
date  are  Ray,  Matilda,  Jennie,  Belle  and  Georgie. 

March  6,  1912.  The  investigator  witnessed  X  69  in 
conversation  with  a  patrolman.     X  68  ic  the  chief  owner. 

March  24,  19 12.  The  investigator  counted  16  in- 
inmates.  The  physician  of  this  place  is  X  80.  The  in- 
mates pay  him  $1  per  visit. 

June  19,  1912.  11.30.  The  investigator  was  given 
a  card  to  this  place.  X  69  forced  X  y2  out  and  bought 
his  interest. 

June  28,  19 1 2.  The  investigator  was  handed  a  card 
to  this  place  by  a  woman  on  Seventh  Avenue  near  28th 
Street.  He  saw  another  card  on  the  sidewalk  near  West 
27th  Street  on  Seventh  Avenue. 

July  12,  1912.  The  names  of  three  inmates  of  this 
house  on  this  date  are  X  81,  X  82  and  X  83. 
The  name  of  the  owner  of  the  property  as  given  in  the 
tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  84. 

290 


Appendices 

X  i6.     West  ^ist  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

February  8,  1912.  4.15  p.m.  The  investigator  was 
approached  on  the  street  by  a  woman  "  runner  "  and 
given  cards  to  above  address.  She  said  she  had  5  or  6 
girls  there  and  she  invited  him  to  follow  her.  The  in- 
vestigator said  he  might  call  in  the  evening,  and  she  told 
him  to  ring  the  bell  on  the  stoop. 

February  14,  19 12.  12  p.  M.  The  investigator 
counted  8  inmates,  and  was  told  there  were  12  work- 
ing here.  The  investigator  had  been  solicited  to  come 
here  by  a  cab  driver,  X  85. 

February  16,  19 12.     The  madame's  name  is  Rose. 

February  20,  19 12.  9.20  p.  m.  The  investigator  was 
solicited  on  Sixth  Avenue  by  a  woman  "  runner  "  to  enter 
this  house.  She  had  been  stopping  other  men.  The 
investigator  counted  6  inmates.  Mamie  acted  as  ma- 
dame.  The  names  of  some  of  the  inmates  on  this  date 
are  Goldie,  Ella,  and  Richmond. 

March  7,  191 2.  1.30  a.  m.  The  investigator  saw 
a  prostitute  who  solicits  on  Sixth  Avenue  take  four  dif- 
ferent men  to  this  address  within  an  hour,  the  first 
floor  of  which  is  a  house  of  prostitution  run  by  Madame 
Rose. 

April  24,  1912.  The  name  of  the  madame  is  X  86. 
The  proprietors  are  X  34  and  X  17. 

May  14,  19 1 2.  X  86,  the  real  madame,  conducts 
this  house  on  a  20  percent  basis  for  X  34. 

May  24,  19 1 2.  X  88  drunkard,  lighthouse  and 
procurer,  works  for  X  34  at  this  address.  He  usually 
stands  in  front  of  X  89. 

June  12,   1912.     3.00  A.  M.     The  investigator  talked 

291 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

with  two  men  who  had  just  come  from  this  house.  An 
inmate  had  shown  one  of  the  men  her  card  punched  with 
holes  indicating  that  she  had  entertained  60  men  that 
night. 

July  10,  19 1 2.  The  place  is  reported  as  closed,  prob- 
ably on  the  instructions  of  X  34.  X  90  and  X  17  are 
interested  here. 

July  15,  19 1 2.  The  name  of  an  inmate  at  this  house 
on  this  date  is  X  91.  The  name  of  the  owner  of  this 
property  as  given  in  the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  92. 


X  93.     West  40th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

March  8,  19 12.  10.40  p.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  5  inmates.  The  name  of  the  madame  is  Rosie; 
proprietor,  X  94.  The  names  of  some  of  the  in- 
mates on  this  date  are  Ethel,  Delia,  Josie  and  Maria. 

March  14,  1912.  12.30  a.  m.  The  investigator  was 
taken  to  this  place  by  X  95.  This  place  is  running 
very  quietly. 

May  14,  19 1 2.  X  96  and  his  brother,  X  94,  are  part- 
ners in  the  house. 

June  12,  19 1 2.  The  name  of  an  inmate  on  this  date 
is  X  97.  The  name  of  the  owner  of  this  property  as 
given  in  the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  98. 


X  99.     West  40th  Street  —  a  one-dollar  house. 

February  i,  1912.  11.30  p.m.  The  investigator 
saw  men  go  in  and  out  of  this  place.  He  was  unable  to 
gain  admittance. 

•February  13,  1912.  lo.oo  P.  M.  The  investigator 
saw  five  men  enter  in  half  an  hour. 

292 


Appendices 

February  i6,  1912.  10.00  p.  m.  The  investigator 
counted  2  inmates  and  estimated  8.  The  madame's 
name  is  Rosie.  The  proprietor  of  the  place  is  X  100. 
The  name  of  the  owner  of  the  property  as  given  in  the 
tax  book   for   1912  is   X    loi. 


X  102.     West  40th  Street. 

February  i,  1912,  X  103,  partner  of  X  44,  has  prac- 
tised prostitution  and  run  houses  for  ten  years. 

February  6,  1912,  The  investigator  counted  12  in- 
mates. The  proprietors  are  X  44  and  X  103,  who 
also  acts  as  housekeeper.     X  44  hangs  out  at  X  104. 

April  27,  1912.  9.00  p.  M.  The  investigator  counted 
5  inmates  and  estimated  6.  The  price  of  the  house  is 
$2  and  $5.  Drinks  are  sold  —  $2  for  an  ordinary 
round,  and  $5  for  a  quart  of  champagne.  The  name 
of  the  madame  is  X  105.  The  names  of  some  of  the 
inmates  on  this  date  are  Mignon,  Lucy,  Emma  and  Fifi. 
The  name  of  a  man  connected  with  the  house  is  X  106. 
The  owner  of  the  property  is  X  108. 


293 


APPENDIX  X 
tenements:  additional  data 
(a)     soliciting 

February  24,  191 2,  investigator  visited  a  cider  stube 
in  a  tenement  building  at  X  128,  St.  Mark's  Place. 
A  waitress  solicited  him  to  enter  a  rear  room  for  im- 
moral purposes.  The  woman  who  conducts  this  stube 
is  X  127,  this  being  the  name  of  the  woman  mentioned 
in  the  letter  quoted  in  Chapter  II.  The  investigator 
says  in  his  report  that  X  127  was  formerly  with  X  126 
at  X  125,  East  5th  Street. 

There  are  13  families  living  at  X  128,  St.  Mark's 
Place.  In  these  families  are  7  boys  under  16  and  14 
girls  under  16.  Five  single  young  men  and  3  single 
young  women  over  16  also  live  in  this  tenement  house. 

On  February  21,  1812,  between  7  and  8  p.  M,,  in- 
vestigator was  solicited  by  a  waitress  in  a  cider  stube 
in  a  tenement  at  X  129,  East  6th  Street.  The  stube 
is  in  the  basement  and  the  proprietress  said  she  would 
send  out  for  a  young  girl,  but  as  she  had  previously  been 
in  trouble  because  of  a  15  year  old  girl,  she  did  not 
want  to  take  another  chance. 

There  are  38  families  living  at  this  address,  with 
20  boys  and  20  girls  all  under  16  years  of  age.  Seven 
single  men  and  9  single  women  over  16  also  live  in  this 
tenement. 

294 


Appendices 

X  130  lives  at  X  131,  West  102nd  Street,  with 
a  friend  who  has  a  furnished  apartment.  The  janitress 
is  named  X  132,  and  X  130  says  she  does  not  pay  any 
attention  to  what  goes  on  in  the  tenement  so  long  as  the 
girls  do  not  become  too  bold.  Some  of  the  prostitutes 
have  been  in  his  tenement  as  long  as  10  years. 

X  130  is  a  chorus  girl  during  the  regular  season. 
She  has  been  with  several  well  known  companies. 

X  133  is  the  janitor  at  X  134,  West  28th  Street. 
Four  street  walkers  bring  men  to  their  rooms  in 
this  building  for  immoral  purposes.  One  of  these 
women  said  that  they  each  paid  $5  per  week  to  the 
janitor  for  the  privilege  of  using  their  rooms  in  this 
way.  The  janitor  has  a  family  consisting  of  his  wife 
and  three  children.  One  boy  is  10  and  the  eldest  girl 
17  years  of  age. 

On  February  13,  19 12,  between  3.30  and  4.30 
p.  M.,  two  colored  girls  who  appeared  to  be  17  and  18 
years  of  age  respectively  were  soliciting  men  on  the 
street  to  enter  a  tenement  house  at  X  136,  West  40th 
Street.  The  children  from  Public  School  No.  X  137, 
a  short  distance  away,  were  playing  along  the  street  on 
their  way  home.  The  colored  girls  were  particularly  in- 
sistent and  talked  in  loud  tones  intermingled  with  vile 
remarks  and  oaths.  Some  of  the  children  who  did  not 
appear  to  be  more  than  10  or  11  years  old  noticed  the  two 
colored  girls  and  laughed  at  them,  pointing  their  fingers. 

Seven  colored  families  live  in  this  tenement.  The 
prostitutes  who  solicited  offered  to  reduce  the  price  to 
50  cents  if  the  hallway  were  used.  On  March  4,  1912, 
a  colored  girl  entered  the  hallway  with  a  white  man. 

295 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

The  conditions  in  this  building  are  extremely  unsanitary. 
The  hallways  are  dark  and  full  of  odors,  the  stairs  in 
a  state  of  dilapidation. 

X  138  and  a  younger  girl  rented  two  rooms  in  a 
tenement  at  X  139,  East  122nd  Street.  On  January 
30,  19 1 2,  about  9.15  P.M.,  X  138  solicited  the  investi- 
gator on  the  street  to  accompany  her  to  this  tenement 
for  immoral  purposes.  The  girls  paid  $4  per  week 
for  the  rooms  and  the  landlord  had  told  X  138  that 
they  could  bring  men  into  the  house  if  they  desired.  A 
man  by  the  name  of  Louis  has  tried  several  times  to  induce 
X  138  to  enter  a  house  of  prostitution.  "  This  man," 
said  the  girl,  "  is  a  swell  dresser  and  wears  diamonds." 
He  even  went  so  far  one  night  as  to  impersonate  a  de- 
tective and  threatened  to  arrest  her  for  soliciting  on  the 
street,  thinking  in  this  way  to  frighten  her  into  comply- 
ing with  his  request.  X  138  said  that  he  receives  $50 
for  every  girl  he  secures  for  houses. 

The  investigator  called  at  this  address  again  on  Feb- 
ruary I  for  the  purpose  of  talking  further  with  X  138 
and  tried  to  obtain  a  description  of  the  procurer  of  whom 
she  spoke.  The  hour  was  5  p.  m.  As  he  entered  the 
hallway  a  boy  about  11  or  12  years  of  age  asked  him 
whom  he  wanted  to  see.  "  Mrs.  X  140  has  been  out 
and  so  has  Mrs.  X  141,"  said  the  boy,  "  and  now 
there  are  only  two  w on  the  top  floor."  Four  fami- 
lies live  at  this  address,  in  which  there  are  2  boys  and  i 
girl  under  16. 

Mrs.  X  118  lives  on  the  third  floor  of  a  tenement 
at  X  117,  West  58th  Street.  Mrs.  X  1 18  has  two  daugh- 
ters; one,  a  girl  of  18,  is  divorced  from  her  husband 

296 


Appendices 

whom  she  met  when  her  mother  conducted  a  similar 
business  on  West  49th  Street,  and  lives  here  with  her 
mother.  The  other  daughter,  X  142,  is  15  years  of 
age.  On  February  24,  19 12,  about  i  a.  m.,  investi- 
gator saw  a  young  man  talking  to  X  142  in  the  rear  of 
the  flat.  X  118  said  X  142  is  attending  a  business 
school,  but  different  young  men  who  are  customers  de- 
clare that  she  works  in  a  candy  factory.  One  day  a 
business  man  who  had  been  a  customer  received  a  letter 
from  X  118  urging  him  to  call.  He  showed  the 
letter  to  the  investigator,  and  declared  that  X  142 
had  written  it  at  the  dictation  of  her  mother  who  he 
knew  could  not  write  English.  In  fact,  the  writing  was 
in  an  immature  hand,  and  the  letter  poorly  composed. 

One  of  the  inmates  here,  X  143,  lives  at  X  144, 
East  94th  Street  and  uses  X  118  flat  in  which  to  meet 
two  steady  customers  at  stated  intervals.  She  has  been 
a  clandestine  prostitute  for  several  months. 

X  118  has  a  list  of  addresses  of  girls  in  a  book 
which  she  keeps  in  her  bureau.  There  are  10  families 
in  this  tenement.  One  of  the  tenants,  a  Mrs.  X  145, 
told  an  investigator  that  on  several  occasions  the  police 
have  been  called  into  the  house  to  stop  the  noise.  She 
further  said  that  the  landlord,  X  146,  knows  the  char- 
acter of  some  of  the  tenants  and  charges  them  high 
rentals. 

(b)      DIFFERENT  INVESTIGATIONS  OF  SAME  ADDRESS 

As  was  the  case  with  parlor  houses,  many  tenements 
were  investigated  at  different  times  in  order  to  show  that 
the  business  was  systematically  conducted : 

297 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

X  147.    Broadway. 

July  27y  1912.  X  155,  prostitute,  told  the  inves- 
tigator she  "answers  calls  for  this  place.  $5.  Wine 
sold." 

July  30,  19 1 2.  X  154,  prostitute,  told  the  investi- 
gator she  "  receives  men  here,  $5,  $10,  $20." 

August  I,  19 1 2.  X  150,  prostitute,  told  the  in- 
vestigator that  "  this  place  is  owned  by  a  colored  woman ; 
X  149-a,  white  woman  has  charge."  Prices  charged 
are  $3,  $5  and  $10. 

August  I,  19 12.  There  are  two  apartments  in 
X  147  Broadway  owned  by  colored  women.  One, 
X  148,  and  her  sister,  X  149-a.  These  women  have 
white  girls  conducting  the  resorts  while  they,  the  own- 
ers, keep  in  the  background.  One  apartment,  3rd  floor, 
inside,  is  operated  under  the  name  of  X  149.  The  other 
is  one  or  two  flights  above  on  the  same  side.  Both  send 
for  girls  supposed  to  be  $3,  $5,  and  $10. 

August  8,  1912.  10  p.  M.  Business  and  residential 
district.  Six  story  red  brick  building.  Madame 
X  148.  The  investigator  counted  2  inmates.  Price 
$5.  Girls  get  half.  Drinks  $5.  Inmates  wear  gowns 
and  claim  to  have  health  certificates.  Names  of  inmates, 
Stella  and  Ellen.  Girls  claim  to  pay  weekly  board  of 
$15.     Rent  paid  is  $105. 

August  15,  19 12.  X  152,  prostitute,  told  the  investi- 
gator she  "  takes  friends  here." 

August  29,  19 1 2.  X  156,  prostitute,  told  the  in- 
vestigator she  "  meets  many  a  good  man  through  this 
house.     Two  other  apartments  here  where  I  see  men." 

August  29,    19 1 2.     X   156.,  prostitute,   told  the  in- 

298 


Appendices 

vestigator  she  "  makes  many  a  dollar  right  in  the  house. 
Four  good  places  here." 


X  157.    West  2/th  Street. 

February  6,  19 12.  8.309  p.  m.  Investigator  reports 
this  former  house  of  prostitution  now  occupied  by 
families. 

March  18,  1912.  2:30  p.m.  Investigator  solicited 
by  inmate  Blanche  on  27th  Street  and  Seventh  Avenue  and 
went  to  her  apartment  one  flight  up,  east.  Counted  two 
inmates.  Price  of  place  $1.  Names  of  inmates,  Blanche 
(madame)  and  Bella.  Name  of  owner  of  property  as 
given  in  the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  158. 


X  159.     West  28th  Street. 

March  5,  19 12.  9.50  p.  m.  Investigator  counted  6 
street  walkers  accosting  men  in  the  vicinity  and  using 
the  premises  for  purposes  of  prostitution.  Investigator 
was  solicited  by  one,  Jennie,  to  enter  premises.  Price  of 
woman  and  room  $1.  Owner  of  this  property  as  given 
by  the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  161.  The  previous  owner 
was  X  162. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

Tenement  house,  double  family  tenement,  janitor  giv- 
ing \yomen  privileges  after  10  p.  m.  for  a  weekly  con- 
sideration. A  procurer  by  the  name  of  X  163  living  on 
the  premises  has  shipped  his  girl  Rosie  to  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
into  a  disorderly  house  there. 

February  i,  19 12.     Flat  house  for  street  walkers. 

299 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Tenement  House  Department  report,  June  i8,  1909. 
Disorderly  house,  prostitution  alleged,  no  basis.  July  2, 
1909 :     Disorderly  house,  prostitution  alleged,  no  basis. 


X  164.     West  28th  Street. 

February  8,  19 12.  Investigator  reports  prostitution 
discontinued  here. 

March  17,  19 12.  Tenement  house  inhabited  by  about 
10  families.  12.15  a.  m.  Investigator  solicited  by  two 
French  women  on  street  near  the  stoop  of  premises  to 
enter  this  house.  Price  of  women  $1.  Soliciting  from 
street  and  windows.  Owner  of  property  as  given  in 
the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  165. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

February  i,  19 12,  Ground  floor,  French  flats.  Al- 
most on  every  floor  "  business  "  is  carried  on. 

Tenement  House  Department  report,  January  8,  1910. 
Disorderly  house,  second  floor.  Cause  of  complaint  re- 
moved. 

Police  report  June  18,  1909.  Disorderly  house,  pros- 
titution alleged.     No  basis. 

August  19,  19 1 2.  Prostitution  is  practised  in  this 
house.  Rosie,  prostitute,  resides  in  a  flat  one  flight  up, 
and  a  woman  named  X  166,  also  a  prostitute,  lives  on 
the  floor  above  Rosie.  The  investigator  was  solicited 
from  the  window  of  this  house. 


X  167.     West  2Qth  Street. 
March  24,  19 12.     8.30  p.  m.     Investigator  was  solic- 

300 


Appendices 

ited  by  several  colored  women  in  front  of  this  address 
to  come  to  their  rooms.  Counted  five  women  soliciting. 
Price  of  women  50  cents.  Owner  of  the  property  as 
given  in  the  tax  book  for  19 12  is  X  168. 

Reports  from  other  sources : 

Tenement.     Some  apartments  occupied  by  prostitutes. 


X  169.     West  2Qth  Street. 

March  9,  19 12.  Investigator  reported  about  eight 
families  and  eight  children  in  this  building,  mostly  colored. 
House  appeared  all  right  at  this  visit. 

Reports  from  other  sources : 

February  i,  1912,  Some  apartments  occupied  by 
prostitutes. 

Tenement  House  Department  report,  March  9,  1910: 
Disorderly  house.  Fourth  floor,  front,  west,  X  170.  No 
action  necessary.     Police  report. 


X  171.     West  2Qth  Street. 

February  2,  1912.  A  colored  woman  named  X  172 
lives  in  this  house  and  keeps  girls.  She  lately  moved 
from  X  173  when  X  174  (well  known  to  investigator) 
was  her  pimp. 

March  4,  19 12.  Investigator  visited  this  building. 
Estimated  seven  families,  mostly  colored,  living  here. 
Saw  two  suspicious  women  on  first  floor.  Owner  of 
this  property  as  given  in  the  tax  book   for   19 12  is 

Xi7S. 

Reports  from  other  sources : 

Tenement    House    Department.     February    8,    19 10. 

301 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

Disorderly  house,  basement.  Cause  of  complaint  re- 
moved. 

Police  report.  February  24,  1910.  Disorderly  house, 
basement,  east  side,  front.  X  176,  cause  of  complaint 
removed. 

Police  report.  November  9,  191 1.  Disorderly  house. 
Prostitution  alleged.     Cause  of  complaint  removed. 


X  177.     West  29th  Street. 

April  19,  19 1 2.  A  prostitute,  X  178,  lives  at  this 
address  and  uses  her  apartments  for  immoral  purposes. 

June  19,  1912.  1:10  A.M.  Investigator  solicited  on 
street  by  colored  women  to  go  to  apartment  in  this  build- 
ing.    Price  of  women  50  cents. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

Tenement  House  Department.  November  9,  191 1. 
Disorderly  house,  prostitution  alleged.  Cause  of  com- 
plaint removed. 

Police  report.  January  2y,  1909.  Disorderly  house, 
second  floor,  front,  west.  X  179.  Cause  of  complaint 
removed. 

Police  report.  April  13,  1909.  Disorderly  house, 
rear,  second  floor,  east.  X  180  and  X  181.  Cause  of 
complaint  removed. 


X  182.     West  2pth  Street 
February  6,   19 12.     Investigator  reports  this  a  tene- 
ment occupied  by  colored  families  and  prostitutes.     On 
third  floor,  east,  X  172,  who  is  a  maid  in  the  house  of 
prostitution  at  X   183,  is  a  prostitute  and  has  had  a 

302 


Appendices 

white  man  living  with  her  for  several  months.  In- 
vestigator visited  her  apartment  with  this  man  and  was 
solicited  by  X  172  to  stay  with  her.  Two  other  women 
were  in  the  rear  room  at  the  time. 

March  4,  19 12.  Investigator  reports  about  six  fam- 
ilies (Italian  and  colored)  in  this  tenement.  Suspicious 
women  on  third  floor,  among  them  X  184,  a  widow. 

March  9,  19 12.  Investigator  reports  building  mostly 
occupied  by  colored  people.  Two  suspicious  women  on 
fifth  floor. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

Tenement  House  Department.  July  25,  1910.  Dis- 
orderly house,  third  floor,  X  200.  Cause  of  com- 
plaint removed. 

Police  report  and  police  officer.  November  9,  191 1. 
Disorderly  house,  prostitution  alleged.  No  action  neces- 
sary. 

December  26,  191 1.  Disorderly  house,  prostitution  al- 
leged, second  floor,  west,  cause  of  complaint  removed. 


X  185.     West  30th  Street 

February  2,  19 12.  6.30  p.  m.  Investigator  saw  men 
entering  this  place. 

March  4,  19 12.  Investigator  reported  three  families 
living  here.     House  appeared  quiet. 

August  21,  19 1 2.  Investigator  reports  some  of  the 
rooms  evidently  used  by  street  walkers.  Outside  door 
locked. 

Reports  from  other  sources : 

February  i,  19 12.     Bed  house. 

303 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

X  1 86.     West  3/th  Street 

March  i8,  1912.  4.40  p.  m.  Investigator  counted  6 
inmates,  all  colored.  He  was  solicited  on  37th  Street 
between  Seventh  and  Eighth  Avenues  to  enter  premises. 
Price  50  cents.     Names  of  inmates,  Hannah  and  Eliza. 

May  I,  19 1 2.  5  A.  M.  Investigator  was  solicited  to 
go  to  second  floor  of  this  building  by  two  colored  pros- 
titutes standing  on  the  steps  of  this  building.  Price  50 
cents. 

August  24,  19 1 2.  Colored  prostitutes  solicit  here 
day  and  night  from  windows  of  this  house  and  on  street 
in  front.  Thieves  and  pimps  hang  out  on  corner.  Name 
of  owner  of  this  property  as  given  in  the  tax  book  for 
1912  is  X  187. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

Tenement  House.  Colored  women  carry  on  business 
at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night  with  the  purpose  of 
robbery  chiefly  in  view. 

August  17,  19 1 2.  Place  occupied  by  colored  prosti- 
tutes. Saw  them  soliciting  from  windows  on  all  floors 
of  this  building. 


304 


APPENDIX  XI 
hotels:  additional  data 

X  214.    Sixth  Avenue. 

February  8,  19 12.  10.30  p.  M.  Investigator  solicited 
to  go  here  by  prostitute;  price  $1. 

Investigator  solicited  by  prostitute  in  front  of  this 
hotel  to  enter  premises,  March  11,  1912.  9.20  p.  m.  In- 
vestigator counted  6  street  walkers  in  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.  He  was  solicited  by  prostitutes  in  front  of  place ; 
price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $1  to  $2. 

March  18,  19 12.  12  m.  Investigator  counted  4  street 
walkers  loitering  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  He  was 
solicited  by  one  of  them  to  enter  this  place.  Price  $2, 
price  of  room  $1.50. 

March  23,  1912.  7.30  p.  m.  Investigator  counted  8 
street  walkers  loitering  on  Sixth  Avenue,  in  the  vicinity 
of  this  hotel.     He  was  solicited  by  one  on  the  corner 

of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter  this  hotel.     A 

police  officer  stood  across  the  street  at  the  time.  Price 
$2,  price  of  room  $1.50  to  $2. 

May  4,  19 1 2.  3  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  6  street 
walkers  loitering  in  vicinity  of  this  hotel,  on  Sixth  Ave- 
nue.    All   approached  men.     He   was   solicited   on   the 

corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  by  a  prostitute 

to  enter  this  hotel.     Price  $2,  price  of   room  $2.     A 

305 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

police  officer  stood  across  the  street  at  the  time  investi- 
gator was  soHcited. 

The  investigator  stood  near  the  entrance  of  this  hotel 
for  30  minutes  and  saw  6  women  whom  he  believed  to 
be  prostitutes  enter  the  hotel  with  men.  It  is  said  on 
good  authority  that  the  receipts  in  this  hotel  on  Saturday 
nights  were  as  high  as  $400. 

May  6,  19 12.  5  p.  m.  Investigator  counted  5  street 
walkers  loitering  in  vicinity  of  this  hotel  on  Sixth  Ave- 
nue. All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  by  one  of 
these  in  front  of  the  hotel  to  enter  the  premises.  Price 
$2,  room  $2. 

May  9,  19 1 2.  7  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  4  street 
walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel. 
All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  by  one  to  enter 
the  premises.     Price  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  13,  1912.  6.30  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  4 
street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.  All  of  these  women  approached  men.  He  was 
solicited  by  one  in  front  of  the  hotel  to  enter  premises. 
Price  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  22,  1912'.  7.15  P.M.  Investigator  counted  6 
street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue,  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.  All  approached  men.  One  of  the  women  solic- 
ited him  on  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street 

to  enter  the  premises. 

May  28,  19 1 2.  12  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  7 
street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.  All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  to  enter 
the  premises.  Police  officer  was  in  sight  at  the  time  of 
solicitation. 

306 


Appendices 

May  30,  igi2.  6.30  p.  m.  Investigator  counted  5 
street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

the  premises. 

June  3,  1912.  2  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  4  street 
walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel. 
All  of  these  women  approached  men.  He  was  solicited 
by  one  within   100  feet  of  an  officer  at  the  corner  of 

Sixth   Avenue   and Street   to   enter   the   premises. 

Price  $2,  room  $2. 

June  7,  19 1 2.  2  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  5  street 
walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel. 
All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  by  one  at  the 
corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter  prem- 
ises. 

June  10,  1912.  2  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  7  street 
walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel. 
All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one  of  these 

women  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and  Street  to 

enter  the  premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room 
$2.     Officer   was   in  sight  at  the  time  of   solicitation. 

The  following  prostitutes  are  among  those  who  use 
this  hotel  for  immoral  purposes : 

May  22,  1912,  Lena  X  219. 

May  28,  1912,  Christie  X  218. 

May  31,  1912,  Rosie  X  217. 

June  26,  19 1 2,  Becky  X  220. 

July  15,  1912,  Annie  X  222. 

August  2,  19 1 2,  Rosie  X  221. 

August  15,  19 1 2,  Anna  X  212. 

307 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

August  15,  1912,  Betty  X  216. 

August  16,  19 1 2,  Gussie  X  223. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

Reported  owners  are  X  224,  X  225  and  X  226.  C  X 
227,  manager. 

Proprietors  are  X  28,  X  225  and  X  229.  Dive 
of  worst  kind. 

The  premises  also  appear  under  the  address W. 

Street.     Bed  house. 

February  i,  19 12.     Bed  house. 

August  19,  1912.  This  place  is  a  noted  assignation 
hotel. 


X  230.     West  S5th  Street. 

February  13,  1912.  11. 15  p.  m.  Investigator  counted 
3  street  walkers  in  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  He  was 
solicited  to  enter  premises  by  a  prostitute  at  the  corner 

of  Broadway  and Street.     Price  of  room  $1.     He 

also  saw  four  couples  enter  here  in  half  an  hour,  the 
women  being  street  walkers.  Saw  prostitute  pick  up 
a  man  on  Seventh  Avenue  and  take  him  to  premises. 

February  15,  1912.  9.00  p.  m.  Investigator  was  so- 
licited by  a  street  walker  on  Broadway  between  35th  and 
40th  Streets  to  enter  premises. 

February  20,  1912.  2.00  p.  m.  Clerk  of  this  hotel 
sentenced  to  two  months'  imprisonment.  It  is  said  the 
proprietor  is  a  fugitive  from  justice. 

April  10,  19 1 2.  Investigator  met  men  who  appeared 
to  be  cadets  near  premises.  Hotel  said  to  be  run  by 
X  231.     The  proprietor  is  said  to  be  X  225. 

308 


Appendices 

April  26,   1912.     1. 00  A.  M.     Investigator  counted  5 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.  Price  of  woman  $3.  Price  of  room  $2. 
This  woman  lives  at  X  238,  West  34th  Street.  X  232 
is  the  rebate  clerk  at  this  hotel,  and  this  duty  takes 
up  his  whole  time. 

May  3,  19 1 2.  Investigator  counted  three  street  walk- 
ers  on   south   side   of Street   towards   Broadway. 

Two  stopped  men.  Investigator  was  solicited  by  one  to 
enter  premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  room  $2. 

May  6,  19 1 2.  ii.<x)-i2.C)OP.  m.  Investigator  counted 
10  street  walkers  in  the  entrance  to  this  hotel  and  in  the 
doorways  near-by.  Four  approached  men.  Investi- 
gator was  solicited  by  one  on  the  street  near  the  hotel 
to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $2,  room  $2.  In- 
vestigator saw  5  suspicious  couples  enter  this  hotel  in 
half  an  hour  and  3  girls  unescorted.  Men  lookouts 
in  doorways  across  the  street. 

May   9,    1912.     7.45    p.  M.     Investigator   counted    5 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.  All  accosted  men.  He  was  solicited  by  one,  in 
sight  of  an  officer  across  the  street,  to  enter  the  premises, 
price  of  woman  $2,  room  $2. 

May  II,  1912.  2.00  A.M.  Investigator  counted  fif- 
teen street  walkers  on  Broadway  between and 

Streets.  All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  by  three 
of  these  prostitutes  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  women 
$2,  $3;  price  of  room  $1,  $1.50. 

May   15,    1912.     6.50  p.  M.    Investigator   counted   5 

309 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 
street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 


Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  18,  1912.  1.30  A.  M.  Investigator  counted  6 
street  walkers  on Street  near  Broadway.  Three  ac- 
costed men.     Investigator  was  solicited  by  one  on  the 

southwest  comer  of Street  and  Broadway  to  enter 

premises.  Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2.  The 
name  of  the  woman  who  solicited  the  investigator  is 
Blanche  X  233 ;  she  lives  with  her  pimp  at  X  239,  West 
38th  Street,  third  floor. 

May  20,    19 12.     7.10  p.  M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.  All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  at  the 
corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter  prem- 
ises. An  officer  passed  by  them  during  this  solicitation. 
Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  2^,    1912.     7.15   p.  M.     Investigator  counted  4 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  29,    1912.     7.45   p.  M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  within 

100  feet  of  an  officer  to  enter  premises. 

May  31,    19 1 2.     8.00   p.  M.     Investigator  counted  8 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

310 


Appendices 

at  the  comer  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  within 

sight  of  an  officer  to  enter  premises, 

June    I,    1912.     8.00   p.  M.     Investigator   counted   5 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.  Price  of  woman  $3,  price  of  room  $2.  In- 
vestigator talked  with  X  231,  part  owner  in  this  hotel. 
He  complained  about  business,  saying  it  was  "  too  hot." 

June  4,    1912.     7.35    p.  M.     Investigator   counted   6 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.    Price  of  woman  $2.  price  of  room  $2. 

June  7,   1912.     7.30  p  M.     Investigator  counted  six 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  at  the 

comer  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street,  within  sight 

of  an  officer,  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $2, 
price  of  room  $2. 

June  8,  1912.  8.15  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  13 
street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between  34th  and  40th 
Streets,  All  approached  men.  The  investigator  was 
solicited  twice,  once  within  sight  of  an  officer,  to  enter 
the  premises  of  this  hotel.  Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of 
room  $2, 

June   II,   1912.     8.15  P.M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.  All  approached  men.  He  was  solicited  at  the 
corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street,  within  200 

311 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

feet  of  an  officer,  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman 
$3,  price  of  room  $2. 

June   15,    19 1 2.    8.00  p.  M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Seventh  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Avenue  and Street,  within 

sight  of  an  officer,  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman 
$2,  price  of  room  $2. 

June  17,  1912.     8.30  p.  M,     Investigator  was  solicited 

by  a  street  walker  on  Sixth  Avenue  near Street  to 

enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 
The  following  prostitutes  are  among  those  who  frequent 
and  use  this  hotel  for  immoral  purposes : 

May  25,  1912,  Anna  X  234. 

May  28,  19 1 2,  Sarah  X  235. 

May  31,  19 1 2,  Louise  X  236. 

June  6,  19 12,  May  X  237. 

Reports  from  other  sources : 

August  19,  19 1 2.     Notorious  assignation  hotel. 


X  21$.     West  28th  Street. 

February  7,  1912.     11.00  p.  m.     Investigator  solicited 
to  enter  premises. 

February  7,  19 12.     9.15-9.30  p.  m.     Investigator  so- 
licited at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to 

enter  premises.     Price  of   woman  $1.     Price  of  room 
$1.50. 

February  7,  1912.     1.15  p.  m.     Investigator  was  solic- 
ited by  street  walker  on  Sixth  Avenue  near Street 

to  enter  premises.     Price  of  woman  $1.    Price  of  room 
$1.50. 

312 


Appendices 

February  7,  1912.  1.15  p.  m.  Investigator  solicited 
by  a  prostitute  on  28th  Street  to  enter  the  premises. 
Price  of  woman  $1,  price  of  room  $1. 

February  7,  1912.  Evening.  Investigator  asked  clerk 
price  of  room  for  himself  and  was  told  $2.50,  a  pro- 
hibitive rate. 

February  10,  1912.  8.30  p.  m.  Investigator  solicited 
by  prostitute  to  enter  premises. 

February  19,  19 12.  2.00  a,  m.  Investigator  solicited 
by  street  walker  on  Broadway  between  31st  and  32nd 
Streets  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $3  for  the 
rest  of  the  night.     Price  of  room  $1. 

March  11,  1912.  9.20  p.m.  Investigator  counted 
9  street  walkers  within  50  feet  of  this  hotel.  All  ap- 
proached men.  He  was  solicited  by  one  of  the  prosti- 
tutes at  the  entrance  of  the  hotel  to  enter  the  premises. 
Price  of  woman  $2.     Price  of  room  $1.50. 

March  11,  1912.  11.25  p.m.  Investigator  counted 
2  street  walkers  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and 
Street  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  He  was  solic- 
ited by  one  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $3, 
price  of  room  $1.50. 

March  11,  1912.  9.00  p.m.  Investigator  counted 
9  street  walkers  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  He  was 
solicited  by  one  on  the  west  side  of  Sixth  Avenue  be- 
tween   and Streets  to  enter  premises.     Price  of 

woman  $2,  price  of  room  $1.50. 

May  I,  1912.  3.30  p.  M.  Investigator  counted  11 
street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
hotel.  Three  approached  men.  Investigator  was  so- 
licited by  one  on  Sixth  Avenue  within  sight  of  an  of- 

313 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

ficer  to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $i.  Price  of 
room  $1. 

May    I,    1912.     2.00   p.  M.     Investigator   counted   6 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  All  approached  men. 
He  was  solicited  by  one  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue 

and Street  to  enter  the  premises.     Price  of  woman 

$2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  8,    1912.     5.00   p.  m.     Investigator   counted   6 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  comer  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May   13,    19 1 2.     6.45   p.  M.     Investigator  counted   5 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May  15,  1912.  A  man  sold  obscene  photographs  in 
the  toilet  room  of  this  hotel.  He  had  a  bundle  of  such 
pictures. 

May   15,    1912.     5.30  p.  M.     Investigator   counted  4 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets,  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  All  approached  men. 
He  was  solicited  by  one  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue 

and to  enter  premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price 

of  room  $2. 

May  23,   1912.     11.00  A.  M.     Investigator  counted  5 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.     All  approached  men. 

314 


Appendices 

He  was  solicited  by  one  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue 

and Street  to  enter  premises.     Price  of  room  $2, 

price  of  woman  $2. 

May    24,    1912.     11.00    A.M.     Investigator    counted 

6    street   walkers    on    Sixth    Avenue   between and 

Streets  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.     All  approached 

men.     He  was  solicited  by  one  within  sight  of  an  officer 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

May   31,    19 1 2.     1.30   p.  M.     Investigator   counted   5 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.    All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street.     Price 

of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

June    I,    19 1 2.     1.30   A.  M.     Investigator   coimted   7 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.  Six  of  these  women  approached  men.  Inves- 
tigator was  solicited  by  one  of  them  at  the  comer  of 

Sixth  Avenue  and Street  within  sight  of  an  officer, 

to  enter  premises.  Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room 
$2. 

June  4,   19 12.     10.45  A.  M.     Investigator  counted  5 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets  in  the  vicinity  of  this  hotel.  All  approached  men. 
He  was  solicited  by  one  within  sight  of  an  officer  at  the 
corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter  prem- 
ises.    Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $2. 

June   6,    19 1 2.     1.30    p.  M.     Investigator   counted   6 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

315 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  within 

sight  of  an  officer,  to  enter  premises.     Price  of  woman 
$2,  price  of  room  $2. 

June  8,   1912.     11.30  A.M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street  to  enter 

premises.     Price  of  woman  $2,  price  of  room  $1.50. 

June  13,  1912.     11.30  A.M.     Investigator  counted  5 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  at  the 

corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street,  within  sight  of 

an  officer,  to  enter  premises.     Price  $3  for  woman,  pricl 
of  room  $2. 

June  15,  1912.     11.30  A.M.     Investigator  counted  6 

street  walkers  on  Sixth  Avenue  between and 

Streets.     All  approached  men.     He  was  solicited  by  one 

at  the  corner  of  Sixth  Avenue  and Street,  within 

sight  of  an  officer,  to  enter  premises.     Price  of  woman 
$2,  price  of  room  $2. 

The  following  prostitutes  are  among  those  who  fre- 
quent this  hotel  for  immoral  purposes : 

April  24,  19 1 2,  Laura  X  240. 

July  29,  19 1 2,  Mamie  X  241. 

August  2,  19 1 2,  Marion  X  244. 

August  12,  19 1 2,  Kate  X  243. 

August  15,  1912,  Anna  X  212. 

August  15,  1912,  Betty  X  216. 

August  15,  19 1 2,  Mrs.  K.  X  242. 

August  16,  19 1 2,  Gussie  X  223. 

Reports  from  other  sources: 

316 


Appendices 

Bed  House.  Hotel  and  disorderly  house.  Proprietor 
X  245.  License  issued  in  the  name  of  X  245-a.  One 
of  the  worst  places  in  the  city.     X  245  is  manager. 

February  i,  19 12.  Bed  house,  hotel  and  disorderly 
house;  proprietor  X  245,  license  issued  in  the  name  of 
X  245-a.     X  245  is  manager. 

August  19,  19 1 2.     A  notorious  assignation  place. 


317 


APPENDIX  XII 
saloons:  additional  data 

February  2,  19 12.  A  man  entered  the  rear  room 
of  saloon  X  275.  With  him  was  a  porter  from  a  house 
of  prostitution  at  X  173,  West  27th  Street.  Prostitutes 
here  were  especially  vulgar  and  obscene.  A  waiter  in 
this  place,  named  X  277,  knew  the  prostitutes  by  name 
and  encouraged  the  men  to  sit  at  the  tables  with  these 
women  and  treat  them  to  drinks.  The  proprietor,  named 
X  278,  also  attempted  to  "  drum  up  "  trade  between  the 
prostitutes  and  the  men. 

February  4,  19 12.  Between  the  hours  of  7.15  and 
10  p.  M.  the  same  conditions  prevailed  with  variations. 
One  prostitute  who  was  intoxicated  exposed  herself.  The 
waiter  did  not  offer  any  objections  to  this  exhibition. 

May  I,  19 12.  At  12  p.  M.  a  stranger  entered  the  rear 
room  of  saloon  at  X  279,  West  42nd  Street.  The 
waiters  appeared  to  be  familiar  with  certain  girls  who 
were  unescorted. 

May  23,  19 1 2.  2  p.  M.  A  special  officer  attached  to 
a  notorious  saloon  and  dance  hall  accompanied  a  man  to 
this  place.  He  told  him  it  was  a  resort  for  pimps,  pick- 
pockets, cheap  crooks  and  prostitutes.  The  dancing  on 
this  evening  was  vulgar  and  obscene.  There  were  sev- 
eral young  girls  present  between  17  and  20  years  of  age 

318 


Appendices 

who  gave  vile  exhibitions.  At  3  a.  m.,  six  pimps  invited 
the  man  to  go  to  a  saloon  at  X  280,  Seventh  Avenue. 
When  they  reached  this  place  the  pimps  talked  to  several 
prostitutes.  One  of  these  girls  was  called  May.  While 
the  young  man  sat  at  the  table  with  one  of  these  women, 
she  attempted  to  steal  a  $2  bill  from  one  of  his  pockets. 
When  he  remonstrated  one  of  the  pimps  called  to  his 
five  companions  and  said,  "  Come  on,  fellows,  let 's  go 
through  him."  When  they  found  the  man  did  not  have 
any  more  money  they  threw  him  out  of  the  door  and 
jostled  him  on  the  sidewalk.  The  man  threatened  to 
call  a  policeman  who  was  standing  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  and  they  laughed,  saying,  "  Go  ahead,  call 
the  cop  and  see  if  he  will  come  over."  The  man  yelled 
"  police  "  three  or  four  times  and  the  pimps  said,  "  Holler 
louder,  he  won't  bother  us,  we  stand  in." 

June  6,  1912.  2.30  A.  M.  Thirteen  girls  were  sitting 
at  the  tables  in  the  rear  room.  Jack  X  281,  a  waiter  in 
this  resort,  who  lives  at  X  282,  Second  Avenue,  stated 
that  the  boss,  Joe  X  283,  has  a  small  room  in  the 
rear  where  a  few  of  his  friends  play  cards  and  "  roll " 
dice. 

February  20,  19 1 2.  2  a.  m.  Concert  hall  at  X  288, 
West  39th  Street.  Manager  is  X  289.  The  door  at 
this  house  is  guarded  by  George  X  290.  A  chain  on 
the  door.  The  dances  were  vulgar  and  obscene.  Carrie 
X  291  solicited  a  man  to  go  to  a  furnished  room  at 
X  292  West  39th  Street.  A  pickpocket  stole  a  watch, 
a  stickpin,  and  $9  in  money  from  one  of  the  men  in 
the  place. 

319 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

February  24,  1912.  3.50  a.  m.  During  the  night 
there  were  over  100  men  and  16  white  and  colored  pros- 
titutes at  the  tables.  A  negro  named  Albert  X  293 
pointed  out  the  proprietor,  whose  name  is  X  294. 

April  II,  1912.     4  A.  M.     Same  conditions  prevail. 

April  19,  1912.    4.30  A.  M.     Same  conditions  prevail. 

March  29,  19 12.  Saloon  at  X  848,  Sixth  Avenue. 
It  is  said  that  X  849,  the  manager  of  this  place,  bails 
out  the  girls  who  solicit  in  his  saloon.  X  850,  living 
at  —  West  96th  Street  said  that  madames  send  to  this 
rear  room  for  girls.  Following  are  some  of  the  girls 
who  solicit  in  this  saloon:  Hope  X  852,  May  X  853, 
Bessie  X  854,  Elizabeth  X  855,  X  856,  Nellie  X  857, 
Mattie  X  858,  Marie  X  859,  and  X  877. 

May  16,  19 1 2.  Twenty  unescorted  women  counted  in 
the  rear  room.  Several  girls  solicited  investigator  to 
go  to  the  X  860  hotel  at  —  Sixth  Avenue,  to  the  X  861 
Hotel  at  —  Sixth  Avenue,  and  to  different  flats. 

June  3,  19 1 2.  9.15  p.  M.  Fifteen  unescorted  women 
in  this  rear  room.  Two  women  from  this  saloon  solicited 
men  to  go  to  the  X  862  Hotel, —  Sixth  Avenue. 

July  25,  19 1 2.  Nine  unescorted  women,  among  them 
being  Ellen  X  863  and  Mildred  X  864. 

July  2^,  19 1 2.  Seven  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  is  Catherine  X  865. 

August  14,  19 1 2.  May  X  866  soliciting  in  the  rear 
room. 

August  15,  19 1 2.  9.  p.  M.  Nine  unescorted  women. 
Dancing  was  vulgar. 

August  28,   191 2.     Eleven  unescorted  women.     One 

320 


/ 


Appendices 

of  these  was  Lottie  X  850,  who  said  she  had  been 
soliciting  in  this  rear  room  for  years. 

August  30,  19 1 2.  Seventeen  unescorted  women.  One 
of  these  is  Beatrice  X  867. 

September  24,  19 12.  Lottie  X  850  was  again  in  this 
rear  room  with  others,  among  whom  was  Cora  X  868. 

September  26,  1912.  Fifteen  unescorted  women. 
One  of  these  was  Sue  X  869. 

October  5,  1912.  Four  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  by  the  name  of  May  X  870  said  that  she  had  been 
coming  to  this  place  for  15  years  or  more. 

October  9,  19 12.  Among  the  seventeen  unescorted 
women  was  Lottie  X  850,  previously  mentioned. 

October  11,  1912.  Nine  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  was  Rose  X  871. 

October  30,  19 12.  Several  unescorted  women.  Four 
left  the  saloon  with  men.  One  of  the  women  was  Anna 
X872. 

November  i,  1912.  Lottie  X  850  was  again  in  this 
saloon  with  other  unescorted  women. 

November  4,  19 12.  Eleven  unescorted  women.  One 
named  Mamie  X  873  said,  "  I  have  my  steady  friends 
come  here  —  they  know  where  to  find  me."  Another 
girl  was  Celia  X  874. 

November  19,  19 12.  Eleven  unescorted  women. 
One  of  these  was  Lena  X  875,  another  Clara  X  876. 

Previous  records : 

Proprietors  of  this  place  have  given  cash  bond. 

Concert  place  and  saloon.  Women  gather  here  to 
solicit  trade,  without  interference  from  the  manage- 
ment. 

321 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

January  ^d,  1912.  Between  6.30  and  8.30  p.  m. 
X  878,  East  14th  Street.  Number  of  unescorted  women 
in  the  rear  room.  Waiters  assist  girls  in  finding  cus- 
tomers. One  of  the  women  named  X  877  solicited  in- 
vestigator to  go  to  X  893  Hotel  at  —  Third  Avenue. 

February  2,  1912.  11.05  p.m.  Twenty  unescorted 
women  in  rear  room.  Many  solicited  investigator  to 
go  to  hotel. 

April  8,  19 1 2.  During  the  evening  eleven  unescorted 
women  sat  at  separate  tables.  One  prostitute  said  she 
would  go  to  a  hotel  for  $2. 

May  14,  19 1 2.  May  X  879,  living  at  —  East  13th 
Street,  was  soliciting  in  this  rear  room. 

May  20,  1912.  Nine  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  was  Annie  X  880,  known  as  X  880-a,  living  at  — 
East  1 5th  Street. 

May  25,  1912.  The  following  prostitutes  were  seen 
in  this  place:     Ida  X  881,  Annie  X  882. 

May  29,  .1912.  Lettie  X  888  was  soliciting  in  this 
rear  room. 

June  5,  19 1 2.  Seven  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these,  Emma  X  884,  said  that  she  meets  some  good 
men  in  this  place.     Another  girl  was  Minnie  X  885. 

June  8,  19 1 2.  Pauline  X  886  was  engaged  in  soliciting 
in  this  rear  room. 

August  7,  19 1 2.  Three  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  was  Emma  X  887. 

September  26,  19 12.  Five  unescorted  women.  One 
of  these  was  Rose  X  888. 

October  2,  19 12.  Five  unescorted  women.  One  of 
these  was  Mary  X  889. 

322 


Appendices 

October  3,  19 12.  Mary  X  889  was  again  in  this 
saloon. 

Previous  records: 

February  i,  19 12.  Cafe  and  rear  room.  Women 
enter  without  escorts  and  solicit  men  in  this  place. 

January  13,  19 12.  The  proprietor  of  this  place  has 
given  cash  bond. 

February  13,  19 12.  9  to  12  p.  m.  X  890,  W.  40th 
Street.  Ten  unescorted  women  at  the  tables.  Six 
of  these  women  beckoned  to  investigator  to  come  to 
their  tables.  A  number  of  these  girls  have  been  seen 
soliciting  on  Broadway.  During  the  evening  7  couples 
left  this  place  and  went  to  the  Hotel  X  891.  At  12 
P.  M.  on  this  date,  X  892,  a  prostitute,  solicited  investi- 
gator to  go  to  a  hotel. 

June  8,  19 1 2.  Number  of  unescorted  women  in  this 
saloon. 

Previous  records: 

This  place  is  on  the  police  list,  alleged  disorderly. 
Proprietor  has  given  a  cash  bond. 


323 


APPENDIX  XIII 

MISCELLANEOUS   PLACES  I   ADDITIONAL  DATA 

February  6,  1912.  3  a.  m.  Pool  room  and  barber 
shop  at  X  300,  West  28th  Street.  Conducted  by  two  or 
three  men  who  sell  liquor  without  a  license  at  5  cents  per 
glass.  One  of  the  customers  in  the  place  solicited  a 
man  to  go  to  a  house  of  prostitution  at  X  25,  Sixth 
Avenue.     The  man's  name  is  X  301. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  X  302  conducts  a  pool  parlor 
and  cigar  store  at  X  303,  Second  Avenue.  A  pimp 
named  X  304,  frequents  this  place.  X  305,  another 
pimp,  was  at  this  place  on  February  5,  1912. 

About  nine  years  ago  a  woman  named  Rosie  X  306 
opened  a  hair  dressing  parlor  on  Second  Avenue.  She 
now  has  the  same  kind  of  a  parlor  at  X  307,  Second 
Avenue.  It  is  a  rendezvous  for  prostitutes,  and 
Rosie's  husband  is  a  bail  bondsman  for  these  women 
when  they  are  arrested.  Rosie  sells  these  women 
dresses,  hats,  kimonos,  feathers,  and  hair  goods,  either 
for  cash  or  on  the  instalment  plan.  One  of  the 
methods  used  by  X  306  to  draw  trade  is  to  allow 
messages  and  mail  for  prostitutes  and  their  pimps  to 
be  delivered  at  her  parlor.  One  of  the  prostitutes  is 
the  wife  of  X  308.  She  is  a  street  walker  and  also 
a  shoplifter.     Becky  X  309  and  her  sister  Sarah,  who 

324 


Appendices 

solicit  on  the  Bowery,  both  go  to  Rosie's  to  have  their 
hair  dressed. 

February  9,  19 12.  Twenty-five  pimps,  gamblers  and 
crooks  were  in  the  restaurant  at  X  311,  Second  Ave- 
nue. The  chief  amusement  of  these  men  is  gambling, 
playing  such  games  as  stuss,  poker,  and  "  klobiosh." 
These  pimps  receive  at  this  place  telephone  messages 
from  their  women  on  the  streets  or  in  vice  resorts,  and 
make  arrangements  in  connection  with  arrests  and  other 
deals.  Among  the  pimps  who  were  seen  here  at  dif- 
ferent times  were  Louis  X  312,  Harry  X  313,  Joe 
X  314,  Sam  X  315,  Joe  X  316,  and  Sam  X  317. 


325 


APPENDIX  XIV 
SHIPPING  women:  additional  data 

X  47,  alias  X  47-a,  who  is  part  owner  in  X  46 
West  25th   Street,   has   had  his  woman  in   England, 
Russia,  South  Africa,  Dallas,  Texas,  and  Seattle,  Wash- 
ington.    He  travels  back  and  forth  between  South  Africa 
and  New  York. 

X  431  took  his  woman,  X  432,  to  Africa  and  China, 
and  now  has  her  in  a  house  of  prostitution  in  Texas, 
the  city  being  either  Dallas  or  Fort  Worth. 

X  316,  alias  X  316-a,  alias  X  316-b,  sends  his  women 
cut  to  western  cities  of  this  country. 

X  433,  a  pimp,  had  a  German  girl  for  his  woman  and 
sent  her  to  Denver,  Colorado.  She  "  threw  him  down  " 
and  now  he  has  another  girl  named  Ida,  whom  he  broke 
into  the  business  of  prostitution.  When  she  was  in 
Philadelphia  she  is  said  to  have  made  as  much  as  $200 
for  him  every  week.  He  then  sent  her  west.  She  re- 
turned, and  he  sent  her  west  again. 

X  434,  the  wife  of  X  435,  a  pimp,  has  been  sent 
out  west.  One  week  she  sent  X  435  $150.  Formerly 
she  was  with  him  in  Portland,  Oregon,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  and  Billings,  Montana. 

X  402,  alias  X  402-a,  has  sent  his  woman  to  South 
Africa  and  to  Brazil. 

X  47-a  took  his  wife,  Ida,  to  South  Africa  seven 
years  ago. 

326 


Appendices 

Ray,  the  wife  of  X  407,  alias  X  407-a,  is  now  in  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  in  a  house  of  prostitution. 

X  406,  alias  X  406-a,  has  just  returned  from  Denver. 
X  436  once  took  her  to  Philadelphia;  when  the  houses 
there  were  broken  up  and  they  were  arrested,  they 
"  skipped  "  their  bail. 

X  410,  owner  of  a  house  of  prostitution,  has  sent 
his  woman  to  South  Africa,  Philadelphia  and  St  Louis, 
He  has  a  house  in  Philadelphia,  which  is  now  conducted 
by  one  of  his  women,  Rosie. 

X  437,  alias  X  437-a,  alias  X  437-b,  has  sent  his  women 
to  the  western  cities  of  this  country.  One  of  his  women 
at  the  present  time  is  X  438,  alias  X  438-a,  alias  X  438-b. 

X  439,  who  is  part  owner  of  the  house  of  prostitu- 
tion at  X  426,  Sixth  Avenue,  has  sent  his  woman  Minnie 
to  Alaska  three  times,  and  it  is  said  that  each  time  she 
came  back  with  between  $4,000  and  $5,000,  all  of  which 
she  gave  to  him. 

X  73,  who  is  a  part  owner  of  the  house  of  prosti- 
tution at  X  67,  West  25th  Street,  sent  his  girls  to  all 
the  cities  of  the  west  —  Seattle,  Tacoma,  Denver,  San 
Francisco  —  and  also  to  Philadelphia. 

X  440,  alias  X  440-a,  pimp,  has  traveled  with 
several  of  his  women  all  over  the  country.  He  is  now 
located  in  Boston. 

X  441  conducts  a  house  of  prostitution  on  Percy 
Street,  Philadelphia. 

X  442  conducts  a  house  of  prostitution  in  Paterson, 
New  Jersey.  X  443  and  X  444  have  sent  girls  to  him 
there. 

X   445,   who   is  part   owner   in   a  house   of   prosti- 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

tution  at  X  441,  Montrose  Avenue,  Brooklyn,  has 
sent  his  women  to  Omaha,  Philadelphia  and  St.  Louis. 
Lena,  one  of  his  girls,  is  now  in  Philadelphia;  she  has 
been  in  Omaha  and  St.  Louis. 

X  no  has  conducted  a  house  of  prostitution  in  South 
Africa,  and  at  present  is  interested  in  X  109,  West  40th 
Street  —  a  house  of  prostitution. 

X  145-a,  alias  X  415,  who  is  a  part  owner  in  X  416, 
West  36th  Street,  has  been  in  South  Africa,  with  his 
woman,  from  which  place  he  went  to  Chicago. 

X  34,  partner  in  at  least  11  houses  of  prostitution, 
has  sent  his  woman,  X  87,  to  Seattle,  Tacoma,  Port- 
land, and  other  cities  of  the  west.  He  also  sent  another 
woman,  X  86,  west  over  practically  the  same  route. 

X  69,  who  is  partner  with  his  brother,  X  68,  in  the 
house  of  prostitution  at  X  78,  West  27th  Street,  had  a 
woman  named  Becky,  whom  he  sent  to  the  western  cities 
of  this  country. 

X  446  recently  sent  his  woman  to  Stockton,  California. 
She  sent  him  $150  and  he  followed  her  to  that  city. 
Since  then  they  have  been  in  Seattle,  San  Francisco,  and 
other  western  cities.  In  going  from  one  city  to  another 
with  his  woman,  X  446  was  apprehended  by  the  authori- 
ties and  sentenced  to  one  year  in  prison. 

X  429,  who  hangs  out  at  X  400,  Second  Avenue,  sent 
his  woman  to  El  Paso,  Texas.  The  immigration  au- 
thorities arrested  her  and  are  at  this  writing  still  holding 
her.  X  429  also  has  a  girl  in  Buenos  Ayres  at  the 
present  time. 

X  447  has  had  his  girl  in  San  Diego,  Denver,  Wilkes- 

328 


Appendices 

barre,  Pennsylvania.  At  the  present  time  she  is  in  Cali- 
fornia. 

X  448,  who  owns  X  499,  East  13th  Street,  has 
been  in  houses  of  prostitution  in  San  Francisco  and 
Seattle. 

X  450,  who  is  now  in  New  Orleans,  had  his  girl 
there.  She  is  now  in  New  York  City  with  a  return 
ticket  to  New  Orleans. 

X  451,  who  now  has  X  452  as  his  woman,  has  sent 
women  to  houses  of  prostitution  in  New  Orleans,  Fort 
Worth,  and  Houston.     X  452  lately  returned  from  Texas. 

X  424,  alias  X  424-a,  has  left  with  his  woman  for 
South  Africa. 

X  387,  alias  X  387-a,  part  owner  of  X  425,  West  28th 
Street  with  his  brother,  X  424,  alias  X  424-a,  had  his 
wife  in  a  house  in  South  Africa,  where  he  ran  houses 
of  prostitution. 

X  453,  alias  X  453-a,  has  sent  his  woman  Jennie 
to  houses  of  prostitution  in  Denver,  Spokane,  Seattle, 
Tacoma  and  other  western  cities.  She  was  in  Denver 
four  months  ago.  When  in  Spokane  it  is  said  she  made 
$2,700  in  two  or  three  months. 

X  443,  alias  X  443-a,  has  taken  his  woman  Becky  to 
Philadelphia.  It  is  now  supposed  that  she  is  either  in 
Globe,  Arizona  or  Havana,  Cuba. 

X  454  has  a  girl  in  New  Orleans ;  she  left  him  when 
he  took  a  married  woman  to  that  city.  X  454  has  an- 
other girl  named  Rosie  in  a  city  in  the  west. 

X  455  sent  his  girl  Ida  to  Brazil,  from  whence  she  has 
returned.     He  is  thinking  of  sending  her  back  to  Brazil. 

329 


Commercialized  Prostitution  in  New  York 

X  328-a  has  a  girl  Sophia  in  New  Orleans.  She  is 
about  24  or  25  years  of  age,  5  feet  6  inches  tall,  weighs 
about  135  pounds,  dark  hair,  was  born  in  Russia  and 
has  been  in  the  United  States  about  7  or  8  years. 

X  428  has  had  two  women.  One  woman  left 
him.  The  other  woman  is  in  Panama  and  he  expects 
her  back  soon.  He  has  had  her  in  houses  of  prostitu- 
tion in  Chicago,  New  Orleans,  Brazil  and  Panama. 

X  385  had  a  woman  whom  he  sent  to  Brazil.  She 
returned,  but  with  another  pimp. 

X  456  has  been  unfortunate.  He  sent  three  women 
west  and  lost  all  of  them. 

X  390  has  sent  his  women  to  western  cities  to  work 
in  houses  of  prostitution  four  or  five  times. 

He  has  also  taken  his  girls  to  houses  of  prostitution 
in  Chicago,  and  has  one  girl  there  at  the  present  time. 

X  453-a  has  had  his  woman  Jennie  in  cities  of  the 
west  three  or  four  times.  X  453-a  is  part  owner  in 
X  459,  West  24th  Street. 

X  427,  a  pimp,  sent  his  woman  Fanny  to  Butte,  Mon- 
tana, about  five  weeks  ago,  from  which  place  she  sent 
him  $150,  the  first  week. 

X  /|/|/j  sent  his  woman  to  Panama  five  years  ago  and 
she  left  him. 

X  314  has  had  his  women  in  houses  of  prostitution 
in  Seattle  and  Philadelphia. 

X  460  has  had  his  women  in  houses  in  Boston,  Phila- 
delphia and  New  Orleans. 

X  461  has  had  his  women  in  houses  in  Philadelphia 
and  Boston. 

330 


Appendices 

X  439,  partner  in  X  426,  Sixth  Avenue,  a  house 
of  prostitution,  sent  his  woman  Ida  to  Tacoma,  Wash- 
ington. For  a  protracted  period  she  is  said  to  have  sent 
him  $100  every  week. 


331 


INDEX 


Amusement  Parks,  75. 

Business    of    Prostitution,    112; 
Receipts,  126-133. 

Cadet,  87. 

Call  Houses  in  Tenements,  29. 

Census,  Tenements,  26. 

Chicago  Vice  Commission,   iii.      Liquor  Licenses,  Revocation  of. 


Investigators'  Reports,   140-142. 
Investigation,   Period  of,  4. 

Key,  Explanation  of,  7. 

Law,  Tenement  House,  24. 
Leasing  Property,  113. 
Lighthouse,  7. 


Cider  Stubes  in  Tenements,  30, 

Conditions  in  1907,  10. 

Concert    Halls    in    Amusement      Lookouts,  12, 

Parks,  75. 
Committee  of  Fourteen,  34. 
Correctional  Work,  267. 
Customers,   13,   108,   iii. 


161 ;  Sale  of  in  Vice  Resorts, 
IS. 


Dance  Halls,  'dj,  y6. 

Davis,  Katharine  Bement,  163. 

District  Attorney,  123. 

Excursion  Boats,  yz- 
Exploiters,  The,  JJ,  etc. 


Madames,  92,  etc. 
Massage   Parlors,  45,  etc. 
Medical   Certificates,  9. 
Miscellaneous    Places,    59;    Ap- 
pendix XIII, 
Morals  Survey  Committee,  iii. 


One  Dollar  Houses,  17,  etc. 
Owners  of  Houses,  etc.,  yj;  of 
Property,  114. 


Fifty-cent  Houses,  16,  etc. 
Five  and  Ten  Dollar  Houses,  42, 
etc. 


Parks,   7Z- 

Parlor    Houses,    4,     etc.;     Ap- 
pendix IX. 
Pimps,  64,  87. 

Places  which  Cater  to  Vice,  52; 
Appendix  II. 
Independent    Benevolent    Asso-      Police  Precincts,  Reports  of  Po- 


Hotels,  Disorderly,  33  etc.;  Ap- 
pendix XI. 


ciation,  41. 
Inmates,  Numbers  of;  Appendix, 

in. 


lice  on,  138-139. 
Police    Rules    and    Regulations, 
137;  Appendix  VIII. 


533 


334 


Index 


Police  Commissioner,  123. 

Prevention  Agencies,  253,  etc. 

Procurers,  85. 

Prostitutes,  Professional  in 
Manhattan,  100;  personal  his- 
tories,   loi ;    birthplaces,    101, 

102,  198,  199,  243;  nationality 
of  parents,  200-203 ;  previous 
occupations,  102,  103,  112,  231, 
247;  reasons  for  entering  life, 

103,  225,  241,  249;  salaries  in 
occupations,  105,  106,  210,  234; 
age  of  first  sexual  offense,  106, 
216,  224,  232;  age  when  enter- 
ing life,  107,  24s ;  length  of 
time  in  business,  108;  earnings 
from  prostitution,  222,  239, 
246;  committed  to  Bedford 
Reformatory,  163. 

Prostitution,  the  Police  and  the 

Law,   137. 
Public  Parks,  76. 

Reformation  Work,   258. 
Renting  Property,  113,   114. 
Runners,   12. 


Shares,  Trading  in,  118. 
Shipping  Women,  85;  Appendix 

XIV. 
Social  Evil  in  Qiicago,  Report 

on,  III. 
Special    Sessions,    160,    161. 
Stars  in  Parlor  Houses,  7. 
State    Reformatory   at    Bedford 

Hill,    163,    etc.,    267. 
Stolen  Goods,  Buyers  of,  97. 
Streets,  Soliciting,  65;  Appendix 

vn. 

Street  Walkers,  Receipts  of,  121. 

Tenements,  Vice  Resorts  in,  24; 
Appendix  V,  Appendix  X ;  de- 
partment records,   144. 

Trading  in  Shares,  n8. 

Venereal  Diseases  in  New  York 
City  Hospitals,  134-136;  at 
Bedford  Reformatory,  188, 
etc. ;   other  institutions,  240. 

Vice  Resorts  in  Parlor  Houses, 
3;  in  Tenements,  24;  Massage 
Parlors,  45. 


Saloons,     Disorderly,     53 ;     Ap- 
pendix XII. 


Watchboys,  12. 
White  Slaves,  85. 


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